Data storage device, apparatus and method for using same

ABSTRACT

Data storage device for use as a portable card, magnetically encodeable card, magnetic credit card or the like, including a substrate having at least one surface. A high density, magnetically coercive material layer is disposed on or deposited on the substrate for storing magnetic signals. The magnetically coercive material may have an axis of magnetization that is oriented in a predetermined direction relative to at least one surface of the substrate. A layer of non-magnetically material is disposed on the substrate for defining an exchange break layer. A protective coating is formed on said magnetic material layer and selected to have a thickness between a maximum thickness which would materially attenuate magnetic signals passing between the magnetic material layer and a transducer and a minimum thickness enabling said protective coating to be abraded by usage in an ambient natural atmosphere operating environment for removing a known quantity of the protective coating. The protective coating may comprise one, two or more layers of materials.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a divisional of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/426,793 filed Oct. 23, 1999 by Donald C. Mann, Bert D. Cook, Jr.,William Zeissner and Robert L. Parkison.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to data storage devices and moreparticularly to a portable storage device or a portable cardincorporating a data storage device which is capable of havinginformation recorded into and read from the data storage device. Theportable storage device or portable card may be in the form of anencodeable card having a magnetic or optical data storage device adaptedto be used as a credit card, medical identification card, identificationcard or the like.

The data storage device utilizes a recording medium or a data storagemedium formed on a substrate capable of reliable data recording andreproduction in an ambient natural atmospheric operating environment.Traditional hard disks require a profoundly protected environment forreliable data recording and reproduction. In the preferred embodiment,the data storage device is in the form of a magnetically encodeablecredit card having a data storage capability in the order of about 1megabyte to about SOO megabytes or more.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

The prior art magnetically encodeable card, illustrated as 100 in FIGS.1 through 4, have primary application as financial credit cards. Themagnetically encodeable card has an obverse surface or side 102containing indicia, e.g. typically user and/or bank information and aconverse surface or side 104 containing an encoding section showngenerally as 106. To insure that magnetically encoded cards can be readby standard card reading devices, the prior art cards are fabricated inaccordance with standards promulgated by the American National StandardsInstitute, Inc. (“American National Standard” or “ANSI”). This isdiscussed in greater detail hereinbelow.

The encoding section 106 is typically a wide magnetic stripe area 110shown on FIG. 2 and this format is generally used by the AMERICANEXPRESS® or AMEX® credit card.

Alternatively, a narrow magnetic stripe, as shown by dashed line 112shown in FIG. 2 defining a narrow magnetic stripe area 114, is used byVisa® and most other credit cards. Typically, the substrate for both theVISA® credit card and the AMEX® credit card is formed of polyvinylchloride (“PVC”) and/or polyvinyl chloride acetate (“PVCA”). VISA®,AMERICAN EXPRESS® and other financial institutions make wide use ofmagnetically encoded cards for financial transactions.

Another known card used for credit or banking transaction is a SmartCard 120 illustrated in FIGS. 5 through 7. The typical Smart Card 120has an integrated circuit shown as 122 located on the obverse side 126thereof. The integrated circuit 122 may include a dedicated storagemember. The converse side 128 of the Smart Card 120 may be blank oralternatively may include a magnetic stripe area similar to magneticstripe areas 110 and 114 as illustrated in FIG. 2.

BACKGROUND

The term “data card” is used in the art to define both financial cardsand cards that contain non-financial data. The terms “financial card” or“financial credit cards” generally include credit cards, debit cards,A.T.M. cards and other cards that contain financial data. Examples offinancial cards include general purpose financial credit cards e.g.VISA®, AMERICAN EXPRESS®, MASTERCARD®, and specific or special purposecredit cards such as oil company cards, department store cards, carrental cards, hotel cards, airline cards and the like.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,396,545 and 4,791,283 disclose typical state-of-the-artfinancial cards or transaction cards having a single magnetic stripe.The storage densities of single stripe magnetic cards are defined by theANSI Standard Specifications. Prior art magnetically encoded cards mayhave up to three (3) data tracks as described in Table 1 below: TABLE 1Track Density Targeted Application 1   553 bytes Designed for AirlineUse 2   200 bytes Designed for Credit Card Use 3   535 bytes Not forGenera use. Reserved for Special Applications, Has Read/Write CapabilityTotal 1,288 bytes Storage

A general trend presently exists to develop special purpose data cardsfor non-financial data applications such as for driver's licenses,building security, insurance identification, medical insuranceidentification, personal identification, inventory identification,baggage tags and the like.

Since the use of data cards including financial cards and other cardsused for non-financial data purposes has proliferated significantly overthe past several years, such data cards are being fabricated to bemachine readable by a wide variety of reading devices and apparatus. Asdiscussed above, typically a financial card has a single magnetic stripehaving three (3) data tracks. Certain of the reading devices are usedfor “read-only” applications while other of the reading devices are usedfor “read and/or write” applications using one or more of the three (3)data tracks.

Other known prior art magnetically encodeable cards have at least twomagnetic stripes, each of which may have one or more data tracks, forrecording and writing data.

United States patents disclosing cards having one or more magneticstrips and/or semiconductor memory include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,883,377;5,844,230; 5,59,885 and 5,714,747. Certain of these cards using asemiconductor memory have storage densities as high as 8 kilobytes.

In order to facilitate reliable reading by such reading devices,financial cards are fabricated in accordance with standards promulgatedby ANSI. For example, the American National Standard for IdentificationCards—Physical Characteristics is covered by the ANSI/ISO/IEC 7810-1995Standard (the “ANSI/ISO/IEC 7810-1995 Standard”). The ANSI/ISO/IEC7810-1995 Standard specifies the physical characteristics ofidentifications including card materials, construction, characteristicsand dimensions for various sizes of financial cards.

In addition, financial credit cards must comply with the AmericanNational Standard for Identification Cards—Recording Technique—Part 4:Location of Read-Only Magnetic Tracks—Tracks 1 and 2 which is covered bythe ANSI/ISO/IEC 7811-4-1995 Standard (the “ANSI/ISO/IEC 7811-4-1995Standard”). The ANSI/ISO/IEC 7811-4-1995 Standard specifies the locationof a magnetic stripe area which defines a magnetic track for read-onlymagnetic recording, tracks 1 and 2 on identification cards. TheAMSI/ISO/IEC 7811-4-1995 Standard specifically identifies the locationof encoded data tracks, and the beginning and end of encoding.

Further, and depending on the application or use, financial credit cardsmust comply with the American National Standard for IdentificationCards—Recording Technique—Part 5 Location of Read-Write MagneticTracks—Track 3 which is covered by the ANSI/ISO/IEC 7811-5-1995 Standard(the “ANSI/ISO/IEC 7811-5-1995 Standard”). The ANSI/ISO/IEC 7811-5-1995Standard specifies the location of a magnetic stripe area which definesa magnetic track for read-write magnetic recording, track 3 onidentification cards. The ANSI/ISO/IEC 7811-5-1995 Standard likewisespecifically identifies the location of encoded data tracks, and thebeginning and end of encoding.

Financial credit cards include a magnetic stripe area which complieswith all of the ANSI Standards. Adherence to the ANSI Standards ensuresthat financial credit cards can accurately pass magnetic signals betweenthe card reader transducer and the magnetic stripe area.

In the prior art known credit cards having a magnetic stripe area, theobverse side of the card generally contains indicia used to identify theindividual to whom the credit card is issued, the issuing bank and otherappropriate information. Information is stored on the magnetic stripearea in a “Biphase” mark coding technique in “magnetic domains” definedby a leading and an associated trailing magnetic flux reversal. Thespacing between the magnetic domains defines the areal density of themagnetic storage material. Thus, the information bits (data) on amagnetic stripe area is represented by a sequence of binary ones andzeros as defined above.

The standard densities for financial or credit cards having magneticstripe areas having three (3) data tracks which are in compliance withthe ANSI Standards as described above are in the order of: (i) 210 bytesper inch (BPI) for track 1; (ii) in the order of 75 BPI for track 2 and(iii) in the order of 210 BPI for track 3. The transducers used in cardreader are responsive to one or more tracks; e.g., any one or more oftrack 1, track 2 or track 3.

As the demand for financial or credit cards or data cards fornon-financial uses increase, in certain applications it is desirablethat the data card include the ability to record information fromon-line card reading and data processing systems with enhanced securityas well. As a result thereof, a category of data cards generally knownas “Smart Cards”, otherwise generally known as “IC Cards”, havedeveloped.

The Smart Card is often defined as an International StandardsOrganization (“ISO”) standard card with an embedded integrated circuitchip. The IC Card may include a microprocessor and a dedicated storagechip thereby resulting in such an IC Card being identified or referredto as a Smart Card. A Smart Card generally is in the form of a standardfinancial or credit card, but includes a microprocessing chip, memoryand may even include a magnetic stripe area which can be read by astandard card reader for financial or credit cards.

One advantage of a Smart Card is that; the data stored therein isusually more secure than data stored on a magnetic stripe, and such datacannot be easily read from the Smart Card due to incorporation ofencryption technology. Further, the Smart Card has the ability to storea larger quantity of data compared to a magnetic stripe and can be usedin a variety of applications in cooperation with a card readingapparatus and data processing system.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,901,303 discloses an example of a Smart Card.

Other known storage devices used in non-card applications, such as forexample, data storage mediums in hard disk, have storage densitiesgreater than the storage densities of the known credit cards having oneor more magnetic stripes including three (3) data tracks. A data storagemedium in a hard disc drive typically has an 130 mm, 95 mm, 65 mm or 25mm outer diameter with a hole in the middle for mounting the medium on aspindle motor. Hard disk drive medium is designed and manufactured foruse as a rotating memory device with circumferential discrete datatracks. The medium, or disks, typically spin at a high rate of speedwith the data tracks accessed by one or more a radially movableread/write heads.

It is known in the art to use horizontal recording media for recordingmagnetic signals. For horizontal recording, the easy axis ofmagnetization is parallel to the surface of the magnetic layer.

It is also known in the art to use vertical recording media forrecording magnetic signals. An example of a vertical magnetic recordingmedium is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,712.

Through a plating and/or a sputter process, various types and layers ofmagnetic or non-magnetic materials are deposited on a round substratewhich, when used in conjunction with a data recording head, can read andwrite data to the disk. The layer which provides the data memory isformed of a high coercive force magnetic material. This high coerciveforce magnetic layer is designed for maximum signal-to-noise ratio. Thisis attained by circumferential texturing, which is a mechanical processof scratching or buffering the disk substrate surface to providecircumferential anisotropy of the magnetic domains. Thereafter, themagnetic material is deposited on the circumferentially treated surfaceusing known plating and/or sputtering technology.

Past and present data storage media have been manufactured in an ultraclean environment requiring Class 100, or better, clean rooms. Workersare required to be garmented wearing gloves, masks, hoods, smocks, andbooties. Hard disk drive media is tested for electrical performance andnumber of errors (defects) before leaving the clean room. The media isplaced in a sealed container in the clean room for shipment to the drivemanufacturer.

The disk drive manufacturer must exercise similar clean room conditionsin order to avoid damaging or contaminating the medium. Contamination ordamage to the medium will cause an unacceptable error rate for the diskdrive. To further insure data integrity, the drive manufacturer mountsthe heads and medium, commonly called a head/disk assembly, inside asealed disk drive cavity. As the medium rotates, it generates airflowover the head/disk assembly. Particles or contamination inside the driveare captured by filters located within the air flow. Capillary tubesand/or breather filters located in the lid of disk drive are used toequalize pressure and prevent moisture from entering the head/diskassembly.

The magnetic head(s) that perform the read/write operations can indent,mark or damage the medium through shock, vibration or improperhead/medium design. The medium layers are very thin and fragile, on theorder of a few microinches thick, and can be easily destroyed bymechanical damage imposed by the head. Non-operating environmentalconditions, such as those normally found outside a clean room or outsidea disk drive, can also easily render the medium unusable. Some of thesemajor concerns which adversely affect medium quality and usability are:

-   -   Moisture, which can cause the Cobalt in the high coercive force        magnetic layer to corrode which causes the medium surface to        flake off or pit and compromise medium performance;    -   (b) Chemical contamination from out gassing of internal        head/disk assembly components such as uncured epoxy and        plasticizers from gaskets, and such chemical contamination can        cause the head to stick to the media surface resulting in        stopping the drive from spinning or causing a head/disk crash        resulting in substantial loss of data;    -   (c) Particles inside the drive which can cause a head crash that        can damage the medium beyond use;    -   (d) Handling damage by the disk or drive manufacturer including        fingerprints, scratches, and indentations which can cause        nonreversible loss of data;    -   (e) Shock and vibration from improper drive design or use can        cause a head crash that damages the medium beyond use; and    -   (f) Poorly designed drives can fail during drive power up cycles        due to high stiction, friction, temperature/humidity conditions        or improper lubricant conditions.

A hard disk drive medium has no direct means to prevent demagnetizationby stray magnetic fields should the drive medium be exposed to a strayfield having sufficient magnetic field strength to erase the recordeddata. Further, no surface of hard disk drive medium readily permitscleaning, and there are no known commercial hard disk drives thatprovide a means to clean the medium. For example, fingerprints cannoteasily be removed from the surface of a hard disk drive medium.

Further, any attempts to use a hard disk drive magnetic medium outsideof its intended clean and protected environment has been unsuccessfulfor a number of reasons, such as those discussed above.

As the demand for improved portable cards having increased memorystorage capacity, such as credit cards, non-financial cards, transactioncards and the like increases, the driving factor as to the likelysuccess or failure of an improved card is directly related to: (a) thestorage densities available in such a card for storing and retrievingdata; (b) the integrity of the magnetically encoded data in such a card;and (c) its ability to resist mechanical, chemical and magneticdegradation in an unprotected environment; such as in an ambient naturalatmosphere operating environment in which financial and non-financialcards are used.

The magnetic disk media in known rigid disk drives are not designed towithstand even the most minor surface damage or degradation. Themagnetic disk media for use inside the profoundly clean disk drive has avery hard but thin overcoat or protective layer. That overcoat orprotective layer is typically diamond-like carbon on the order of 50Angstroms to 300 Angstroms thick and is primarily used to controlcorrosion of the underlying cobalt based high coercivity layer. Theunderlying magnetic high coercivity film is also very thin, in the orderof 150 to 500 Angstroms.

Since the protective layer includes at least one layer of a highlymagnetic permeable material, the added thickness of this highly magneticpermeable material does not appear to increase the magnetic separationloss during read back as reported in U.S. Pat. No. 5,041,922.

The most prevalent type of media construction for use in hard diskdrives is an aluminum substrate with a thick layer of Nickel Phosphorplated on the surface for polishing. This is an underlayer to the highcoercivity magnetics. The Nickel Phosphor layer is typically 10 to 12microns thick and is used to provide a material that can be subsequentlypolished to a smoother finish than the aluminum surface.

Hard disk drive media substrate range in thickness from 0.020 inches to0.050 inches. Thinner substrates are desirable in order to be able topackage more disks in the disk drive but have the problem of mechanicalflutter, especially at high RPM. None of these substrates are bendable.A large bend radius of 20 inches will result in permanent deformation ofthe disk. A bend radius of less than 20 inches will result in permanentdeformation as well as fracturing of the thick Nickel Phosphor layer.This fracturing of the Nickel Phosphor will propagate through the highcoercivity magnetic layer rendering the media useless as a storagedevice.

No thick Nickel Phosphor underlayer is used on the portable card of thepresent invention. Therefore, fracturing problems associated with athick Nickel Phosphor are avoided.

The portable card structure allows a card to be bendable to a degreedepending upon the thickness and material of the substrate. For example,on one extreme are thick cards having a substrate formed of Zirconium.Such cards are 0.020 inches thick and can be bendable to a radius ofapproximately 10 inches. Another type of card uses a plastic substrate.Such cards are 0.030 inches thick and are bendable to a radius ofapproximately 4 inches. A thin card, such as a card having a substrate,formed of stainless steel, which is in the order of 0.005 inches thickand are bendable to a radius in excess of 4 inches without fracturing orbecoming permanently deformed.

The protective coating of the present invention can be used with suchcards in all forms of data storage devices, data storage sections, datastorage medium and recording mediums. The known prior art media used fordisk drive including the unabradable, thin protective coatings are notcapable of being used in such portable cards.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention discloses and teaches a new, novel and uniquemagnetically encodeable card comprising a non-magnetic substrate havingat least one surface. A thin film, high density magnetically coercivematerial is disposed on the substrate for storing magnetic signals. Inthe preferred embodiment, the coercive material axis of magnetizationare oriented in a predetermined direction relative to the at least onesurface of the substrate. Preferably, a non-magnetic material isdisposed on the substrate for defining an exchange break layer.

A protective coating including a magnetically permeable, magneticallysaturable storage material disposed on the substrate and is responsivethrough the exchange break layer to the coercive material axis ofmagnetization to produce a magnetic image field in a direction oppositeto the predetermined direction. The protective coating is formed on themagnetic material layer and is a relatively hard, abradeable protectivecoating. The protective coating is selected to have a thickness betweena maximum thickness which would materially attenuate magnetic signalspassing between the magnetic material layer and a transducer and aminimum thickness enabling the protective coating to be abraded by usagein an natural, ambient atmosphere operating environment for removingtherefrom a known quantity of the protective coating.

The protective coating is formed of a material which resists at leastone of chemical, magnetic and controlled mechanical degradation of thedata storage device. The protective coating may be formed of at leastone layer, wherein the least one layer includes the magneticallypermeable, magnetically saturable storage material.

In the alternative, the protective coating may have at least two layerswherein one of the at least two layers includes or comprises amagnetically permeable, magnetically saturable storage material and theother of the at least two layers includes a non-magnetic abrasionresisting layer formed on the one of the two layers.

In its broadest aspect, the invention resides in a data storage devicecomprising a substrate having at least one surface with at least onehigh density magnetically coercive material disposed on the substratefor storing magnetic signals. The magnetic material may be isotropic oranisotropic. Such materials are well known in the art. At least onelayer formed of non-magnetic material, which functions as a decoupler orquantum effect insulator, may be disposed on the substrate for definingan exchange break layer. A protective coating is formed on the substrateand is selected to have a depth in a direction substantially normal tothe exchange break layer to facilitate passage of magnetic signals, inan ambient natural atmospheric operating environment, through theprotective layer to the coercive material having the axis ofmagnetization in the predetermined direction.

In addition, new and novel magnetic signal processing apparatus andmethods are disclosed herein utilizing the novel the magnetic recordingmedium having a high density magnetically coercive material for storingmagnetic signals with the coercive material axes of magnetizationoriented in a predetermined direction and having a protective coatingselected to have a thickness to facilitate passage of magnetic signalsin an ambient natural atmospheric operating environment through theprotective coating to the high density magnetic material and whichresists at least one of chemical, magnetic and controllable mechanicaldegradation of the data storage device.

The prior art, which utilizes magnetic strips in a portable cardsincluding portable data storage card having relatively low storagelimitations. These relatively low density storage limitations of theprior art magnetic stripes is overcome by use of a data storage devicehaving the new, novel and unique recording medium based use of standardhard disk drive medium technology with a high coercive force layer, butwherein such use of this technology is in a new and novel manner, namelyoutside the disk drive protective enclosure and protected operatingenvironment.

None of the known prior art anticipates, discloses, teaches or suggestsportable cards including portable data storage cards using a recordingmedium based standard hard disk drive medium technology with a highcoercive force layer using a novel protective layer having a selectedthickness and wherein such use occurs outside the disk drive protectiveenclosure and in natural atmosphere and environment. This invention isclearly new, novel and unobvious to persons skilled-in-the-art for allof the reasons set forth herein.

Therefore, one advantage of the data storage device is that the datastorage device is capable of reliable read and write operations afterhandling in a non-clean, normal environment.

Another advantage of the present invention is that several media formfactors can be provided for use in such a portable card including amagnetically encodeable card of a standard credit card size, which iscapable of multiple read and write operations.

Another advantage of the present invention is that other portable cardsizes and configurations, such as rectangular, square or circularshaped, may utilize the teachings of the present invention.

Another advantage of the present invention is that a portable card usingsuch a data storage device can be provided with a memory capacitysubstantially greater than that of the conventional financial cardsusing a magnetic stripe.

Another advantage of the present invention is that a data storage devicecan be provided which can be processed in a manner similar to a standardfinancial credit card.

Another advantage of the present invention is that a data storage devicecan be provided which can be exposed to rough handling in a mannersimilar to a credit card.

Another advantage of the present invention is that a portable cardutilizing the teachings of the present invention can be stored in awallet and can be freely handled without concerns for contamination andwithout regard to whether or not the card is impervious to scratchesstray magnetic fields, fingerprints and other types of damage whichwould cause a prior art hard disk medium to fail.

Another advantage of the present invention is that the data storagedevice including its use as a portable card or magnetically encodeablecard may include a high permeability protection coating in combinationwith a protective coating to prevent stray weak to medium strength (e.g.all but the strongest) magnetic fields from demagnetizing and/or erasingthe recorded data.

Another advantage of the present invention is that a data storage deviceis provided that is capable of reading and writing in a longitudinal,linear, arcuate, radial or circumferential pattern.

Another advantage of the present invention is that the data storagedevice utilizes a recording medium having a protective coating formed onthe uppermost surface thereby permitting cleaning of a magneticallyencodeable credit card by pressure pads, abrasive materials andchemicals without damage to the recording medium including the magneticsignals stored therein.

Another advantage of the present invention is that the data storagedevice can be utilized in a magnetic signal processing apparatus.

Another advantage of the present invention is that the data storagedevice may be used in a method of processing magnetic signals using amagnetic recording medium having a high density magnetically coercivematerial for storing magnetic signals with the coercive material axes ofmagnetization oriented in a predetermined direction and a protectivecoating as described herein.

Another advantage of the present invention is that a magnetic recordingmedium having a high density magnetically coercive material for storingmagnetic signals with the coercive material axes of magnetizationoriented in a predetermined direction utilizing the teachings of thepresent invention, including a protective coating as disclosed herein,may be used in a system having a magnetic transducer, a drive member anda magnetic control device having a bias field that interacts with amagnetically permeable, magnetically saturable storage material layer,generally known in the art as a “keeper” layer, which is used as theprotective coating to enable magnetic signals to pass between the highdensity magnetically coercive material, through the protective coatingand the exchange break layer and a transducer typically located in adata processing station.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other advantages of this invention will be apparentfrom the following description of the preferred embodiment of theinvention when considered with the illustrations and accompanyingdrawings, which include the following Figures:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial representation of a prior art AMEX® credit cardfabricated from polyvinyl chloride having indicia providing bank/userinformation on the front or obverse side thereof;

FIG. 2 is a pictorial representation of the prior art AMEX® credit cardof FIG. 1 showing the converse side thereof having either a standardread-only magnetic stripe area defining one or more magnetic tracks or astandard read-write magnetic stripe area defining two or more magnetictracks;

FIG. 3 is a right end elevational view of the prior art AMEX® creditcard of FIG. 2 showing by dashed lines the standard magnetic stripeareas;

FIG. 4 is a left end elevational view of the prior art AMEX® credit cardof FIG. 2 showing by dashed lines the standard magnetic stripe areas;

FIG. 5 is a pictorial representation of a prior art Smart card having acomputer chip, memory and indicia providing bank/user informationlocated on the front thereof;

FIG. 6 is a right end elevational view of the prior art Smart card ofFIG. 5 showing by dashed lines the standard magnetic stripe area;

FIG. 7 is a left end elevational view of the prior art Smart card ofFIG. 5 showing by dashed lines the standard magnetic stripe area;

FIG. 8 is a pictorial representation of a portable card utilizing theteachings of the present invention in the form of a magneticallyencodeable credit card fabricated from polyvinyl chloride or polyvinylchloride acetate and having on the converse side thereof two spacedparallel magnetic stripe areas, each magnetic stripe area including thecapability of having a plurality of magnetic tracks for providing atleast five megabytes formatted of magnetic storage or, alternatively,for being used as a standard magnetic stripe area on a financial creditcard;

FIG. 9 is a right end elevational view of the credit card of FIG. 8showing by dashed lines the magnetic stripe areas;

FIG. 10 is a left end elevational view of the credit card of FIG. 8showing by dashed lines the magnetic stripe areas;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along section lines 11-11 of thecredit card of FIG. 8 showing by dashed lines the magnetic stripe areas;

FIG. 12 is a pictorial representation of the obverse side of the creditcard having indicia which may provide bank/user information shownthereon and which may include an integrated circuit as shown by dashedrectangle and the converse side thereof may have a single magneticstripe area of the form depicted in FIG. 8;

FIG. 13 is a partial right end elevational and sectional view of thecredit card of FIG. 12 showing by dashed lines the magnetic stripe areausing the teachings of this invention and integrated circuit;

FIG. 14 is a pictorial representation of another embodiment of aportable card utilizing the teachings of the present invention in theform of a magnetically encodeable credit card fabricated from polyvinylchloride or polyvinyl chloride acetate and having on the converse sidethereof a magnetic stripe area having a plurality of magnetic tracks forproviding at least five megabytes of formatted of magnetic storage;

FIG. 15 is a right end elevational view of the credit card of FIG. 14showing by cross-hatching lines the magnetic stripe area;

FIG. 16 is a pictorial representation of yet another portable cardutilizing the teachings of the present invention in the form of amagnetically encodeable credit card fabricated to have on the obverseside thereof a data storage device which covers substantially all of theobverse side area and wherein the data storage device has a plurality ofmagnetic tracks for providing at least five megabytes formatted ofmagnetic storage and wherein the converse side thereof contains astandard magnetic stripe area as used on an AMEX® credit card shown bydashed lines;

FIG. 17 is a right end elevational view of the portable card of FIG. 16showing by dashed lines the data storage device located on substantiallyall of the obverse side and the AMEX® standard magnetic stripe arealocated on the converse side;

FIG. 18 is a pictorial representation of the portable card of FIG. 16wherein the converse side thereof contains the AMEX® standard magneticstripe area and having on the obverse side thereof a data storage devicewhich covers substantially all of the obverse side area;

FIG. 19 is a pictorial representation of yet another portable cardutilizing the teachings of the present invention in the form of amagnetically encodeable credit card fabricated to have on the obverseside thereof a data storage device which covers substantially all of theobverse side area and wherein the data storage device has a plurality ofmagnetic tracks for providing at least five megabytes formatted ofmagnetic storage and wherein the converse side thereof contains astandard magnetic stripe area as used on a VISA® credit card shown bydashed lines;

FIG. 20 is a right end elevational view of the portable card of FIG. 19showing by dashed lines the data storage device located on substantiallyall of the obverse side and the VISA® standard magnetic stripe arealocated on the converse side;

FIG. 21 is a pictorial representation of the portable card of FIG. 18wherein the converse side thereof contains the VISA® standard magneticstripe area and having on the obverse side thereof a data storage devicewhich covers substantially all of the obverse side area;

FIG. 22 is a pictorial representation of still yet another embodiment ofa portable card utilizing the teachings of the present invention in theform of a magnetically encodeable credit card fabricated to have on theobverse side adjacent the top edge of the credit card a standardmagnetic stripe area as used on an AMEX® credit card shown by dashedlines and located below the magnetic stripe area a data storage devicewhich covers in excess of one-half of the obverse side area and whereinthe data storage device has a plurality of magnetic tracks for providingat least five megabytes formatted of magnetic storage and wherein theconverse side thereof may contain indicia;

FIG. 23 is a right end elevational view of the portable card of FIG. 22showing by dashed lines the AMEX® standard magnetic stripe area and thedata storage device, both of which are located on the obverse side andthe Credit Card;

FIG. 24 is a pictorial representation of still yet another embodiment ofa portable card utilizing the teachings of the present invention in theform of a magnetically encodeable credit card fabricated to have on theobverse side adjacent the top edge of the credit card a standardmagnetic stripe area as used on an VISA® credit card shown by dashedlines and located below the magnetic stripe area a data storage devicewhich covers in excess of one-half of the obverse side area and whereinthe data storage device has a plurality of magnetic tracks for providingat least five megabytes formatted of magnetic storage and wherein theconverse side thereof may contain indicia;

FIG. 25 is a right end elevational view of the portable card of FIG. 24showing by dashed lines the VISA® standard magnetic stripe area and thedata storage device, both of which are located on the obverse side andthe credit card;

FIG. 26 is a pictorial representation of still yet another embodiment ofa portable card utilizing the teachings of the present invention in theform of a magnetically encodeable credit card fabricated to have on theobverse side a data storage device which covers in excess of one-half ofthe obverse side area and wherein the data storage device has aplurality of magnetic tracks for providing at least five megabytesformatted of magnetic storage and wherein the converse side thereof has,adjacent the top edge of the credit card, a standard magnetic stripearea as used on an AMEX® credit card shown by dashed lines and whereinoptionally either the observe side or the converse side may containindicia;

FIG. 27 is a right end elevational view of the portable card of FIG. 25showing by dashed lines the data storage device located on the obverseside of the credit card and the AMEX® standard magnetic stripe arealocated on the converse side of the credit card;

FIG. 28 is a pictorial representation of still yet another embodiment ofa portable card utilizing the teachings of the present invention in theform of a magnetically encodeable credit card fabricated to have on theobverse side a data storage device which covers in excess of one-half ofthe obverse side area and wherein the data storage device has aplurality of magnetic tracks for providing at least five megabytesformatted of magnetic storage and wherein the converse side thereof has,adjacent the top edge of the credit card, a standard magnetic stripearea as used on a VISA® credit card shown by dashed lines and whereinoptionally either the observe side or the converse side may containindicia;

FIG. 29 is a right end elevational view of the portable card of FIG. 25showing by dashed lines the data storage device located on the obverseside of the credit card and the VISA® standard magnetic stripe arealocated on the converse side of the credit card;

FIG. 30 is a pictorial representation of still yet another embodiment ofa portable card utilizing the teachings of the present invention in theform of a magnetically encodeable credit card wherein the obverse sidethereof is shown and wherein both the obverse side and converse sidethereof each include a data storage device which covers substantiallyall of the area of the applicable side and wherein each data storagedevice has a plurality of magnetic tracks for providing at least fivemegabytes formatted of magnetic storage;

FIG. 31 is a right end elevational view of the portable card of FIG. 30showing by dashed lines the data storage devices located on both theobverse side and converse side;

FIG. 32 is a pictorial representation of the portable card of FIG. 30wherein the converse side thereof is shown and wherein both the obverseside and converse side thereof each include a data storage device whichcovers substantially all of the area of the applicable side and whereineach data storage device has a plurality of magnetic tracks forproviding at least five megabytes formatted of magnetic storage;

FIG. 33 is a pictorial representation of a credit card having a grooveformed therein for receiving a data storage device wherein a datastorage member is located in the groove and the data storage member andgroove are enclosed by a protective coating of material which may be oneor more layers of material;

FIG. 34 is a pictorial representation of a-credit card having a grooveformed therein for receiving a data storage device comprising a datastorage member and a protective coating of material enclosing the datastorage member wherein both the data storage member and protectivecoating are located within the groove;

FIG. 35 is a pictorial representation of a credit card having a grooveformed therein for receiving a data storage device wherein the datastorage member is enclosed by a protruding protective coating ofmaterial located directly thereon and wherein a laminating layermaterial is formed to be coplanar with the protruding protectivecoating;

FIG. 36 is a pictorial representation of a credit card having a datastorage device formed on the surface thereof wherein both a data storagemember and a protective coating of material enclosing the data storagemember are both protruding above the surf ace of the credit card andwherein a laminating layer material is formed to be coplanar with theprotruding data storage member and protruding protective coating;

FIG. 37 is a pictorial representation of a prior art recording mediumhaving a high density magnetic material having its axis of magnetizationextending in a substantially horizontal direction relative to at leastone surface of the substrate, which recording media is used for a datastorage device operating in a protective environment, and to which aprotective coating as disclosed herein can be added to use the same in adata storage device of the present invention;

FIG. 38 is a pictorial representation of one embodiment of a recordingmedium of the present invention having a high density magnetic materialhaving its axis of magnetization extending in a substantially horizontaldirection relative to at least one surface of the substrate and aplurality of layers of the materials including a protective coatinghaving a magnetically permeable, low coercivity layer of magneticmaterial separated by a layer of non-magnetic material defining anexchange break layer which enables a magnetic image field to be storedin the magnetically permeable, low coercivity layer, which recordingmedium is used for a data storage device;

FIG. 39 is a pictorial representation of another embodiment of arecording medium of the present invention having an underlayer depositedon at least one surface of a substrate deposited, a high densitymagnetic material layer deposited on the underlayer wherein the highdensity magnetic material has its axis of magnetization extending in asubstantially horizontal direction relative to at least one surface ofthe substrate, a layer of non-magnetic material defining an exchangebreak layer, and a protective coating including a magneticallypermeable, low coercivity layer of magnetic material separated which isseparated from the high density magnetic material layer by the exchangebreak layer which enables a magnetic image field to be stored in themagnetically permeable, low coercivity layer, which recording medium isused for a data storage device;

FIG. 40(A) is a pictorial representation of yet another embodiment of arecording medium of the present invention having a high density magneticmaterial layer deposited on the at least one surface of the substratewherein the high density magnetic material has its axis of magnetizationextending in a substantially horizontal direction relative to at leastone surface of the substrate, a layer of non-magnetic material definingan exchange break layer, and a protective coating comprises one layerincluding a magnetically permeable, low coercivity layer of magneticmaterial separated which is separated from the high density magneticmaterial layer by the exchange break layer which enables a magneticimage field to be stored in the magnetically permeable, low coercivitylayer, which recording medium is used for a data storage device;

FIG. 40(B) is a pictorial representation of still yet another embodimentof a recording medium of the present invention having a high densitymagnetic material layer deposited on the at least one surface of thesubstrate wherein the high density magnetic material has its axis ofmagnetization extending in a substantially horizontal direction relativeto at least one surface of the substrate, a layer of non-magneticmaterial defining an exchange break layer, and a protective coatingcomprises two layers wherein one layer comprises a magneticallypermeable, low coercivity layer of magnetic material separated which isseparated from the high density magnetic material layer by the exchangebreak layer which enables a magnetic image field to be stored in themagnetically permeable, low coercivity layer and the other layer isdisposed on the one layer is formed of a hard, diamond like material,which recording medium is used for a data storage device;

FIG. 40(C) is a pictorial representation of yet another embodiment of arecording medium of the present invention having a high density magneticmaterial layer deposited on the at least one surface of the substratewherein the high density magnetic material has its axis of magnetizationextending in a substantially horizontal direction relative to at leastone surface of the substrate, a layer of non-magnetic material definingan exchange break layer, a protective coating comprising two layerswherein one layer comprises a magnetically permeable, low coercivitylayer of magnetic material separated which is separated from the highdensity magnetic material layer by the exchange break layer whichenables a magnetic image field to be stored in the magneticallypermeable, low coercivity layer and the other layer is disposed on theone layer is formed of a hard, diamond like material and a layerdefining a bonded lubricant formed on the other layer of the protectivecoating, which recording medium is used for a data storage device;

FIG. 40(D) is a pictorial representation of still yet another embodimentof a recording medium of the present invention having a high densitymagnetic material layer deposited on the at least one surface of thesubstrate wherein the high density magnetic material has its axis ofmagnetization extending in a substantially horizontal direction relativeto at least one surface of the substrate, a layer of non-magneticmaterial defining an exchange break layer, and a protective coatingcomprises one layer including a magnetically permeable, low coercivitylayer of magnetic material separated which is separated from the highdensity magnetic material layer by the exchange break layer whichenables a magnetic image field to be stored in the magneticallypermeable, low coercivity layer, and a protection coating formed on theother side of the substrate opposite to the surface having the highdensity magnetic material layer deposited thereon, which recordingmedium is used for a data storage device;

FIG. 41(A) is the pictorial representation of a recording medium of thepresent invention illustrating that the surface thereof is texturedduring the fabrication process of the recording medium to provide linealantisotrophy of the magnetic domains;

FIG. 41(B) is a pictorial representation of the recording medium of FIG.41(A) having a plurality of magnetic tracks and illustrating thatspecific domain areas used for recording magnetic signals therein;

FIG. 42(A) is a pictorial representation of an encodeable credit cardwherein the entire substrate or body is fabricated of a magneticrecording material and having a protective coating therearound forming adata storage device;

FIG. 42(B) is a pictorial representation of an encodeable credit cardwherein the interior of the substrate or body thereof is formed of ahigh density recording material having a protective coating formedthereon for forming a data storage device;

FIG. 43(A) is a pictorial representation of a credit card having agroove formed therein which is adapted to have a data storage devicecomprising a recording medium having a protective coating formedtherein;

FIG. 43(B) is a pictorial representation of a credit card having agroove formed therein which encloses a data storage device wherein thedata storage device may comprise a recording medium illustrated in FIGS.38, 39, 40(A), 40(B), 40(C) and 40(D);

FIG. 44 is a pictorial representation of still yet another portable cardutilizing the teachings of the present invention in the form of amagnetically encodeable credit card wherein the obverse side thereof maycontain indicia providing banker/user information or, alternatively, astandard magnetic stripe area as shown in FIGS. 19, 20, 21, 26,27, 28and 29 and the converse side thereof each include a data storage devicehaving a plurality of parallel spaced magnetic tracks for storing atleast five megabytes formatted of a magnetic data;

FIG. 45 is a plot depicting the magnitude of magnetic signals transducedby a magnetic transducer being transported linearly over a magnetictrack plotted as a function of track length;

FIG. 46 is a simplified schematic diagram of a card reader for readingand reproducing information a portable card utilizing the teachings ofthe present invention;

FIGS. 47 and 48, together, are a detailed schematic diagram of a cardreader including data verification for reading and reproducinginformation from a portable credit card utilizing the teachings of thepresent invention;

FIG. 49 is a simplified schematic diagram of a card cleaner for cleaningdebris, fingerprints and the like from a portable card utilizing theteachings of the present invention wherein the cleaning process ispreformed prior to processing by a card reader for reading andreproducing information from the portable card;

FIG. 50 is a pictorial representation of a front elevational view of acard cleaner having a card feeder for carrying out the card cleaningprocess;

FIG. 51 is a pictorial representation of a left side elevational view ofa card cleaner illustrated in FIG. 50;

FIG. 52 is a pictorial representation of an alternate structure of acard feeder for use with the card cleaner illustrate in FIG. 50;

FIG. 53 is a pictorial representation of still yet another embodiment ofa portable card utilizing the teachings of the present invention whereina substrates enclosed the data storage device is in the form of a diskrigidly affixed to the substrate and wherein the entire substrateincluding the disk is rotated relative to a magnetic transducer shown bydashed lines;

FIG. 54 is a right end elevational view of the portable card of FIG. 53showing the disk fixedly located within the substrate by dashed lines;

FIG. 55 is a pictorial representation of still yet another embodiment ofa portable card utilizing the teachings of the present invention whereina substrate encloses a data storage device in the form of a diskrotatably mounted to or supported with the substrate and wherein thedisk is rotated within the substrate relative to a magnetic transducershown by dashed lines; and

FIG. 56 is a right end elevational view of the portable card of FIG. 55showing the disk rotatably located within the substrate by dashed lines.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMEODIMENT

In this regard, FIGS. 1 through 7, labeled prior art, pictoriallyillus˜t˜ate the presently used financial or credit cards. FIGS. 1through 4 illustrate a credit card 100 where the obverse side 102 bearsindicia describing certain bank/user information while the converse side104, is illustrated in FIG. 2, includes a data storage section 106 whichmay be in the form of wide magnetic stripe area 110, which is typical ofthe magnetic stripe area used in a AMEX® credit card, which containsstored data in compliance with the ANSI Standards as described above.

Alternatively, the magnetic stripe area may be a thin magnetic striparea as depicted by dashed line 112 which forming a narrow stripe 114which is typically used in a VISA® credit card.

FIGS. 5 through 7 illustrate a typical Smart Card 120 having anintegrated circuit shown as 122 located on the obverse side 126 thereof.The integrated circuit 122 may include a dedicated storage member. Theconverse side 128 of the Smart Card 120 may be blank or alternativelymay include a magnetic stripe area similar to magnetic stripe areas 110and 114 as illustrated in FIG. 2.

In FIGS. 6 and 7, the integrated circuit 122 is illustrated by dashedlines. If a magnetic stripe area is used on the Smart Card 120 themagnetic stripe area is typically located on the converse side 128.

The pictorial representation of a portable card 140, as shown in FIGS.8, 9 10 and 11, utilize the teachings of the present invention in theform of a magnetically encodeable credit card fabricated from polyvinylchloride or polyvinyl chloride acetate. The portable card 140 has anobverse side 142 and a converse side 144. The converse side 144 has twospaced parallel magnetic stripe areas shown as magnetic stripe areas 148and 150. Each magnetic stripe area 148 and 150 are capable of having aplurality of magnetic tracks for providing at least five megabytesformatted of magnetic storage. Alternatively, one of the magnetic stripeareas 148 or 150, may be formatted for use as a standard magnetic stripearea on a financial credit card. Of course, the lower densityapplication may not efficiently use the storage capability of theapplicable magnetic stripe area.

In the portable card 158 illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13, the obverseside 160 of the card 158 may contain indicia which may provide bank/userinformation and may include an integrated circuit as shown by the dashedrectangle 162 and the converse side thereof 164 may have a singlemagnetic stripe area 166 of the form depicted in FIG. 8.

In the portable card of FIGS. 14 and 15, the portable card has anobverse side 172 and a converse side 174. The portable card 170 is inthe form of a magnetically encodeable credit card fabricated frompolyvinyl chloride, or other equivalent operable material, such as forexample PVCA. The converse side 174 has a magnetic stripe area 178having a plurality of magnetic tracks for providing at least fivemegabytes of formatted of magnetic storage. The obverse side 172 may beused for providing indicia or for other uses as described herein.

FIGS. 16, 17 and 18 depict a pictorial representation of yet anotherembodiment of a portable card 180 utilizing the teachings of the presentinvention. The portable card 180 has an obverse side 182 and a converseside 184. The obverse side 182 has formed thereon a data storage deviceshown by arrow 188, which covers substantially all of the obverse sidearea of obverse side 182. The data storage device 188 has a plurality ofmagnetic tracks for providing at least five megabytes formatted ofmagnetic storage. The converse side 184 contains a standard magneticstripe area as used on an AMEX® credit card shown by dashed lines 190.This enables the portable card 180, to be used as a magneticallyencodeable credit card which is capable of being read using an AMEX®credit card reader or other standard financial credit card readers orstandard financial magnetically encoded card processing apparatus.

Alternatively, a card reader or magnetic signal processing apparatus,adapted to read and/or write on the data storage device 188, may be usedto process the magnetically encoded data.

FIGS. 19, 20 and 21 depict a pictorial representation of still yetanother embodiment of a portable card 196 utilizing the teachings of thepresent invention. The portable card 196 has an obverse side 198 and aconverse side 200. The obverse side 198 has formed thereon a datastorage device shown by arrow 204, which covers substantially all of theobverse side area of obverse side 198. The data storage device 204 has aplurality of magnetic tracks for providing at least five megabytesformatted of magnetic storage. The converse side 200 contains a standardmagnetic stripe area as used on an AMEX® credit card shown by dashedlines 210. This enables the portable card 196, to be used as amagnetically encodeable credit card which is capable of being read usinga VISA® credit card reader or other standard financial credit cardreaders or standard financial magnetically encoded card processingapparatus.

Alternatively, a card reader or magnetic signal processing apparatusadapted to read and/or write on the data storage device 204 may be usedto process the magnetically encoded data.

FIGS. 22 and 23 depict a pictorial representation of still yet anotherembodiment of a portable card 214 utilizing the teachings of the presentinvention in the form of a magnetically encodeable credit cardfabricated in a substantially rectangular shape and having substantiallyplanar sides including an obverse side 218 and converse side 220. Theobverse side 218, adjacent the top edge of the credit card 214, has astandard magnetic stripe area as used on an AMEX® credit card shown bydashed lines 220. Located below the magnetic stripe area 220 is a datastorage device shown by arrow 224 which covers in excess of one-half ofthe obverse side area of obverse side 218. The data storage device 224has a plurality of magnetic tracks for providing at least five megabytesformatted of magnetic storage. The converse side 220 may contain indiciaor be utilized for other uses as described herein.

FIGS. 24 and 25 depict a pictorial representation of still yet anotherembodiment of a portable card 230 utilizing the teachings of the presentinvention in the form of a magnetically encodeable credit cardfabricated in a substantially rectangular shape and having substantiallyplanar sides, obverse side 232 and converse side 234. The obverse side232 adjacent the top edge of the credit card 230 has a standard magneticstripe area as used on a VISA® credit card shown by dashed lines 238.Located below the magnetic stripe area 238 is a data storage deviceshown by arrow 240 which covers in excess of one-half of the obverseside area of obverse side 232. The data storage device 240 has aplurality of magnetic tracks for providing at least five megabytesformatted of magnetic storage. The converse side 234 may containindicia.

FIGS. 26 and 27 depict a pictorial representation of still yet anotherembodiment of a portable card 246 utilizing the teachings of the presentinvention in the form of a magnetically encodeable credit cardfabricated in a substantially rectangular shape and having substantiallyplanar sides including an obverse side 250 and converse side 252. Theobverse side 250 has formed on the lower portion thereof a data storagedevice shown by arrow 258 which covers in excess of one-half of theobverse side area of obverse side 250. The data storage device 258 has aplurality of magnetic tracks for providing at least five megabytesformatted of magnetic storage.

Located on the converse side 252 and adjacent the top edge of the creditcard 246 is a standard magnetic stripe area as used on an AMEX® creditcard shown by dashed lines 262. The converse side 252 may containindicia or be utilized for other uses as described herein.

FIGS. 28 and 29 depict a pictorial representation of still yet anotherembodiment of a portable card 266 utilizing the teachings of the presentinvention in the form of a magnetically encodeable credit cardfabricated in a substantially rectangular shape and having substantiallyplanar sides including an obverse side 270 and converse side 272. Theobverse side 270 has formed on the lower portion thereof a data storagedevice shown by arrow 278, which covers in excess of one-half of theobverse side area of obverse side 270. The data storage device 258 has aplurality of magnetic tracks for providing at least five megabytesformatted of magnetic storage.

Located on the converse side 272 and adjacent the top edge of the card265 is a standard magnetic stripe area as used on a VISA® credit cardshown by dashed lines 282. The converse side 272 may contain indicia orbe utilized for other uses as described herein.

FIGS. 30, 31 and 32 depict a pictorial representation of still yetanother embodiment of a portable card 290 utilizing the teachings of thepresent invention. The portable card 290 has an obverse side 292 and aconverse side 294. The obverse side 292 has formed thereon a datastorage device shown by arrow 298, which covers substantially all of theobverse side area of obverse side 292.

The converse side 294, likewise, has formed thereon a separate or seconddata storage device shown by arrow 300, which covers substantially allof the converse side area of converse side 294.

Each of the data storage devices 298 and 300 has a plurality of magnetictracks for providing at least five megabytes formatted of magneticstorage. It is envisioned that one of the data storage devices 298 and300 may be formatted for use in a manner similar to a standard magneticstripe area on a financial card or financial credit card. Of course, thelower density application may not efficiently use the storage capabilityof the data storage devices 298 and 300.

There are a number of methods available to fabricate a portable card ata magnetically encodeable credit card utilizing the teaching of thepresent invention. FIGS. 33, 34, 35 and 36 are exemplary of severalmethods and structures for the teachings of the present invention. Thestructure, composition and thickness of the recording medium andprotective coating may dictate which structure is the best embodimentfor using the teachings of the present invention.

The methods and structures set forth below are not intended to belimiting and are being provided as examples only. It is envisioned thatpresently known alternative technologies or after developed technologieswhich are equivalent to the known technologies, may be used inpracticing the invention set forth herein. In FIGS. 33 through 36,common elements are identified with the same numerals.

FIG. 33 is a pictorial representation of one structure for a portablecard formed of a substrate 312, which may be any known material for useas substrate for a recording medium including glass, ceramic or the likeor other non-magnetic material. The substrate 312 ha˜ a groove 314formed therein. Certain of the materials defining the remainingstructure of the data storage device including the protective coatingare shown generally by arrow 316. The materials disposed in the groove314, excepting the protective coating, are depicted by 322 and define adata storage section or recording medium. The materials 322, the surfaceof substrate 312 and the groove 315 are enclosed by the protectivecoating 324 which may be one or more layers of material as disclosedherein.

FIG. 34 is a pictorial representation of another structure for aportable card formed of a substrate 312. The substrate 312 has a groove314 formed therein. Certain of the materials defining the remainingstructure of the data storage device including the protective coatingare shown generally by arrow 316. The materials, except for theprotective coating, are depicted by 322 and the materials 322 aredisposed in the groove 314 together with the protective coating 324. Anovercoat layer or bonded lubricant layer, depicted by dashed line 326,may be applied to the outer surface of the substrate enclosing theprotective coating 324, the layers of material 322 and the outer surfaceof the substrate 312.

FIG. 35 is a pictorial representation of yet another structure for aportable card formed of a substrate 312. The substrate 312 has a groove314 formed therein. Certain of the materials defining the remainingstructure of the data storage device including the protective coatingare shown generally by arrow 316. The materials, except for theprotective coating, are depicted by 322 and the materials 322 aredisposed in the groove 314. The protective coating 324 is a protrudingprotective coating of material located directly on and enclosing thelayers of material 322. A laminating layer material depicted by dashedline 328 is formed to be coplanar with the protruding protective coating324.

FIG. 36 is a pictorial representation of still yet another structure fora portable card formed of a substrate 312. The substrate 312 receivescertain of the materials defining the remaining structure of the datastorage device, and those certain materials including the protectivecoating are shown generally by arrow 316. These materials, except forthe protective coating, are depicted by 322 and are disposed on andprotrude above the surface 330 of substrate 312. The protective coating324 is located directly on and enclosing the layers of material 322 andthe protective coating 324 is likewise a protruding layer of material. Alaminating layer material depicted by dashed line 332, which optionallymay be the same material as the protective coating, is formed to becoplanar with the protruding layers of material 322 and the protectivecoating 324.

FIG. 37 is a pictorial representation of a prior art recording medium400 having substrate 402, a Ti Seed Layer 404 (having a thickness ofapproximately 100 Angstroms), a layer 406 of NiP having formed around alayer 408 of Cr, a high density magnetic material layer 412 having itsaxis of magnetization extending in a substantially horizontal directionrelative to at least one surface of the substrate 402, and wherein thelayer 412 is coated or sealed with a glass or PLC coating 414. Therecording medium 400 is exemplary of the type of recording medium usedfor a data storage device operating in a protective environment.

Typically in a data storage device such as a disk drive operating in aprotective environment, particles get inside disk drives from poor priorcleaning, surface abrasion created from the head landing on the medialanding zone, and peaks of carbon extending above the head flying heightthat are severed or broken off by the flying head.

The typical sizes of particles that are common to hard disk drives arelarger that the flying height which is typically 1 microinch to 10microinches. These particles can easily become lodged between the headand the disk. The particles lift the head up and away from the disk. Theparticles plow through or penetrate the overcoat or protective layer andimpact on the high coercivity recording layer, resulting in completedestruction of the recorded data track. This is commonly know as a “headcrash”. The particles generated by the “head crash” can rapidly spreadthroughout the disk drive causing an avalanche of “head crashes” on theother disks, if a multidisk drive.

On the other hand, the recording medium of the present invention hasbeen intentionally designed to be exposed to and to tolerate mechanicaldegradation of the surface without any degradation of the underlyinghigh coercivity recording layer. The head or transducer operating as theread/write device on medium or data storage device of this invention caneither operate in absolute contact with the outer surface of theprotective coating or can “fly” in “quasi” contact to 10 microinchesabove the outer surface of the protective coating.

The selected thickness and relative hardness of the protective coatingpermits substantial abrasion due to particulate contamination duringread/write operation in a normal ambient atmosphere operatingenvironment as well as during abrasive cleaning, where the outer surfaceof the protective coating may be abraded. The protective coating hasbeen designed to abrade away upon impact with particulate matterincluding particles occurring between the head and media and duringcleaning and handling leaving the underlying high ccercivity recordingmaterial intact.

In the present invention, a relatively hard, abradeable protectivecoating is formed on the magnetic material layer and the selectedthickness of the protective layer is an important criteria for renderingthis invention operable. The thickness is selected to be between amaximum thickness which would materially attenuate magnetic signalspassing between the magnetic material layer and a transducer and aminimum thickness enabling the protective coating to be abraded by usagein an ambient natural atmosphere operating environment for removingtherefrom a known quantity of the protective coating.

As such, the protective coating in the preferred embodiment is abendable, diamond-like hardness protective coating having a selectedthickness which allows passage of magnetic signals in an ambient naturalatmospheric operating environment through the protective layer andbetween said at least one high density magnetically coercive materiallayer and a transducer and is formed of a material which resists atleast one of chemical, magnetic and controlled mechanical degradation ofthe data storage device.

FIG. 38 is a pictorial representation of one embodiment of a recordingmedium shown generally as 430 which is formed of a plurality of layersof material to provide the most ideal recording medium possible forpracticing this invention. The recording medium 430 has a substrate 432which functions as the portable card substrate. A base layer 434 isdeposited on the substrate 432. A seed layer 436, which may be optional,is deposited on the base layer 434. A layer 438 formed of chromium isdeposited on the seed layer 436. A layer 442 of high density magneticmaterial having its axis of magnetization extending in a substantiallyhorizontal direction relative to at least one surface of the substrate432 is deposited on the chrome layer 438. A layer 446 of non-magneticmaterial, which functions as a “break layer”, “exchange break layer” ora “decoupling layer”, is deposited on the magnetic layer 442. Aprotective coating is applied to the layer 446. The protective coating454 is formed of two layers, namely a magnetically permeable, lowcoercivity layer 460, which is deposited on the layer 446 to form a“keeper” layer, and a second layer 458 which preferably is a hard,diamond like material.

The structure, function and operation of a “keeper” layer and otherknown prior art relating to a “keeper” layer is described in PCTApplication US92/10485 filed Dec. 7, 1992 and published on Jul. 8, 1993.

The protective coating may have formed thereon a bonded lubricationlayer 460 which functions as a cleaning material layer permitting thecleaning of debris, fingerprints and other particulate material from thesurface of the recording medium 430.

FIG. 39 is a pictorial representation of another embodiment of arecording medium 470 for practicing this invention. This structurerepresents a recording medium having a significantly less number oflayers of material compared to the embodiment and structure describedabove in connection with FIG. 38.

A substrate 472, which is used as the portable card, has a chromiumunderlayer 476 deposited on at least one surface of the substrate 472. Ahigh density magnetic material layer 480 is deposited on the underlayer476 wherein the high density magnetic material layer 480 has its axis ofmagnetization extending in a substantially horizontal direction relativeto at least one surface of the substrate 472. A layer of non-magneticmaterial 482 defining an exchange break layer is deposited on themagnetic layer 480. A protective coating 488, which is in the form of asingle layer, includes a magnetically permeable, low coercivity magneticmaterial which is separated from the high density magnetic materiallayer 480 by the exchange break layer 482 which enables a magnetic imagefield to be stored in the magnetically permeable, low coercivitymagnetic material forming the protective coating 488.

FIG. 40(A) is a pictorial representation of yet another embodiment of arecording medium 492 for practicing this invention. In this embodiment,the protective coating is a single layer and includes a magneticallypermeable, low coercivity magnetic material which also functions as the“keeper” layer. The recording medium 492 includes a substrate 496 whichis preferable formed of a non-magnetic material. A high density magneticmaterial layer 498 is deposited on the at least one surface of thesubstrate 496 wherein the high density magnetic material has its axis ofmagnetization extending in a substantially horizontal direction relativeto at least one surface of the substrate 496. A layer 502 ofnon-magnetic material, defining an exchange break layer, is deposited onthe magnetic layer 498. The protective coating 504 comprises one layerincluding a magnetically permeable, low coercivity layer of magneticmaterial which is separated from the high density magnetic materiallayer 498 by the exchange break layer 502. The exchange break layer 502enables a magnetic image field to be stored in the magneticallypermeable, low coercivity material.

In an unsaturated state, the magnetic permeable, magnetically saturablematerial, which may be use alone as protective coating, provides a shuntpath that contains substantially all of the magnetic flux from therecorded data in the high coercivity layer. The effectiveness of theprotecting coating becomes degraded at a thickness where the materialcommences to emit a detectable quantity of magnetic flux leakage.

Also, the protective layer minimum thickness due to known quantity ofmagnetically permeable, magnetically saturable material being removed byusage is that minimum thickness thereof which is capable of supportingmagnetic flux density of a reading signal.

It is highly desirable that the magnetic flux from the data stored inthe high coercivity magnetic layer is substantially retained in themagnetic permeable protective layer.

Upon application of a localized saturating flux, such as DC bias field,an electrical aperture is created in the magnetic permeable,magnetically saturable layer. The flux lines from a bit cell of data arenow unconstrained, e.g., a state of high reluctance, and can extendoutside the magnetic permeable protective layer and into interactionwith a transducer for detection and subsequent data processing. Fluxfrom all of the other bit cells remain substantially contained in thenon-saturated magnetic permeability, magnetically saturable protectivecoating; e.g. a state of low reluctance. Relative motion between themedium and the transducer will “move” the localized saturated aperturein the magnetic permeable, magnetically saturable layer, forming theprotective coating, to permit additional cells of data to be accessibleby the read transducer.

In the preferred embodiment where the protective coating is a magneticpermeability, magnetically saturable material, substantial amounts ofthe magnetic permeable protection layer can be abraded or worn away bysliding transducer contact, by an abrasive cleaning, by removing orslighting abrading as required to remove debris, fingerprints and thelike from the card or by rough handling without affecting the integrityof the data stored in the high coercivity data memory layer. In thepreferred embodiment, the magnetic permeable protection layer may beformed from a wide variety of low coercivity, high permeabilitymaterials, materials typically used as core material in magneticread/write transducers. Such materials include Permalloy (NiFe), Sendust(AlFeSil) and super Sendust (AlFeSilNi).

The thickness of the magnetic permeable protection layer should besufficient to retain all of the flux from the high coercivity memorylayer with some additional material to permit substantial mechanicalwear while still containing the underlying magnetic flux. However, evenif nearly all of the magnetic permeable protection layer is worn away tothe thickness where a slight amount of flux leakage occurs, someretention of the underlying flux will still occur.

Mechanical damage to the high coercivity layer will not occur as long assome material in the protective layer remains intact. Because of theprotective coating of the present invention being so robust andbendable, a very severe grinding action would be required to remove allof the protection layer, exposing the underlying break layer and highcoercivity data recording layer.

When a magnetically encodeable card having a protective coating of thepresent invention is exposed to stray magnetic field, such as adjacentcredits cards for example, the magnetic permeability, magneticallysaturable material causes the magnetic filed to be captured with thesaturable material thereby providing magnetic protection to the materialstorage layer.

Likewise the relatively hard protective coating, if immersed in achemical solution or other fluid, which may contain chemicals, theprotective coating protects the material storage layer from beingdegraded by such chemicals which come into contact with the data storagedevice.

The relatively hard, abradeable protective coating of the presentinvention is formed on the magnetic material layer. The protectivecoating is selected to have a thickness between a maximum thicknesswhich would materially attenuate magnetic signals passing between themagnetic material layer and a transducer and a minimum thicknessenabling the protective coating to be abraded by usage in an ambientnatural atmosphere operating environment for removing therefrom a knownquantity of the protective coating. The maximum thickness and minimumthickness can be empirically determined and are generally a function ofthe data storage device materials, the protective coating materials, thetransducer and the like.

The protective coating may be a single layer which includes amagnetically permeable, magnetically saturable material or at least twolayers wherein one of the layers include a magnetically permeable,magnetically saturable material and the other of the layers may be anon-magnetic friction reducing layer farmed on the one of the layers.

The term “diamond-like hardness” is well known in the art and isdescribed in detail at page 599 and pages 629 through 638 in TRIBOLOGYAND MECHANICS OF MAGNETIC STORAGE DEVICES by Bharat Bhushan published bySpringer-Verlag of New York. Generally the term diamond-like hardnessrefers to an amorphous or diamond-like carbon (DLC) deposited bysputtering or plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition techniques thathas been developed for applications, such as the magnetic thin-filmdisks, which require extremely low friction, and wear at a range ofenvironmental conditions (inside the protected environment of the diskdrive).

FIG. 41(B) is a pictorial representation of the recording medium 540 ofFIG. 41(A) having a plurality of substantially parallel magnetic tracks546 and illustrating that specific domain areas 548 are used forrecording magnetic signals therein.

In FIG. 40(A), the recording medium is illustrated to interact with amagnetic control device shown by dashed rectangle 491 having a biasfield shown by arrow 493 which is adapted to increase through theprotective coating 504 and the and the exchange break layer 502 thereluctance of the magnetic saturable, magnetically permeable material inthe protective coating 504 to enable the magnetic signals to passbetween the high density magnetically coercive material through theexchange break layer 502 and the protective coating 504 to a magnetictransducer 495.

The magnetic transducer typically forms part of or is located in a dataprocessing station and is adapted to interact with the portable cardcontaining the data storage device 492 when the portable card and dataprocessing station are moved relative to each other to position the datastorage device proximate the data processing station to enable data flowbetween the magnetic layer in the data storage device and thetransducer.

The bias field 493 causes or drives the magnetic saturable, magneticallypermeable material in the protective coating 504 into saturationenabling the magnetic signals to easily pass from the magnetic layer498, through the exchange break layer 502 and the protective coating 504to the transducer 495. The portion of the protective coating that doeshave the bias filed 493 applied thereto remains in an unsaturatedcondition and retains or keeps the magnetic signals encoded in themagnetic layer 498.

A drive member, depicted by rectangle 497, is operatively coupled to atleast one of the transducer 495 and the portable card containing therecording medium 492 to provide the relative movement therebetween.

The drive member is used to perform one of the following: (i) positionthe portable card proximate the data processing station to enable dataflow therebetween; (ii) move the portable card relative to the dataprocessing station; (iii) move the data processing station relative tothe portable card; and (iv) the portable card and the data processingstation are moved relative to each other.

The transducer 495 maybe be: (i) an inductive head; (ii) a thin filmmagnetic head; (iii) a magnetoresistive head; (iv) a giantmagnetoresistive (GMR) head; and (v) a magnetoresistive head including adual stripe magnetoresistive element. In addition, the magnetoresistivehead may include a magnetic flux guide shown by dashed line 499 in FIG.40(A) for conducting magnetic flux from the data storage device of theportable card read by such a magnetoresistive head.

In FIG. 40(A), a programmable control device depicted by dashed box 501is operatively connected to the magnetic control device 491 to cause thebias field 493 to be applied to the recording medium 492 when a selectedmagnetic image is located substantially adjacent the transducer 495. Theuse of such a programmable control device is known in the magneticrecording and reproducing art.

FIGS. 40(B), 40(C) and 40(D) are variations of the structure of FIG.40(A) and the same numbers are used in each figure to identify similarelements for purposes of the following descriptions.

In FIG. 40(B), the structure of the recording medium 510 issubstantially the same as that of the recording medium 492 of FIG. 40(A)except that the protective coating 504 is formed of two layers, onelayer of which is a “keeper” layer 516 and the other of which is a layer518 formed preferably of a hard, diamond like material.

In FIG. 40(C), the structure of the recording medium 522 is similar tothat of the recording medium 510 of FIG. 40(B) except that an additionallayer 528 of a bonded lubricant material is deposited on the layer 518.The bonded lubricant material may be any well known bonded lubricatingmaterial applicable for coating onto a recording medium, such as forexample perflouroether or phosphozene.

In FIG. 40(D), the structure of the recording medium 532 is similar tothat of FIG. 40(A) except that the protective coating 504 is applied toboth the recording medium formed on the substrate, which coats one sideof the substrate 496, and to the opposite side of the substrate 536.

Tables 2, 3, 4 and 5 set forth below provide examples of the variousmaterials that can be used for various layers of materials as describedin the embodiments of FIGS. 38, 39, 40(A), 40(B), 40(C) and 40(D), thethickness thereof and other important characteristics thereof. Theexamples set forth herein are not intended to be limiting in nature orteachings, but rather are examples of materials that can be used inpracticing this invention. It is envisioned that other materials notdisclosed herein, but which are known to persons skilled-in-the art, canalso be used in practicing the present invention, and such materials aswell, as any after developed material that are substantially equivalentto the materials disclosed herein, are deemed to be within or as usingthe teachings of the present invention.

Table 2 sets forth materials which can be used for the protectivecoating, “keeper layer”, break layer and magnetic layer: TABLE 2Protective Coating (Overlayer) “Keeper Layer”: Break Layer MagneticLayer Carbon AlFeSil (Sendust) Silicon CoCrPtTa Diamond Like Carbon NiFe(Permalloy) Carbon CoCrPt Zirconia CoZrNb Chromium CoCrTa Zirconia OxideCoNiCr Glass CoNiPt CoNiCrPt

Table 3 sets forth materials which can be used for an Underlayer,Optional seed layer, Optional base layer and card substrate: TABLE 3Optional Optional Underlayer Seed Layer Base Layer Card SubstrateTypically Crystalline CrN1 NiP Glass Chromium Ta Zirconia AluminumNitride Plastic CrTiO2 Isotropic Plastic Ceramic/Alumina Glass CeramicGlass Carbon Fiber Stainless Steel Titanium Aluminum Phosphor Bronze

Table 4 sets forth the range in Angstroms, for the Overcoat thickness,the Keeper thickness, the break layer thickness and magnetic layerthickness, as determined in a direction substantially normal to thesurface of the substrate: TABLE 4 Protective Coating (Overlayer) Keeperlayer Break Layer Magnetic Layer Thickness Thickness Thickness Thickness150 Angstroms 50 to 500 10 Angstroms 250 Angstroms to 500 Angstroms to150 to 1000 Angstroms Angstroms Angstroms

Table 5 sets forth the range in Angstroms, for the underlayer thickness,the seed layer thickness, the base layer thickness and card substrate,as determined in a direction substantially normal to the surface of thesubstrate: TABLE 5 Underlayer Seed Layer Base Layer Card SubstrateThickness Thickness Thickness Thickness 200 Angstroms 100 AngstromsTypically .005 inches to to 2000 to 1000 10 Micro-meters .050 inchesAngstroms Angstroms

The substrate surface may be treated by texturing to enhance orientationof anistropic materials. The known texturing procedures that can be usedinclude: (i) circumferential texturing; (ii) radial texturing; (iii)chemical texturing; and (iv) laser texturing.

The pictorial representation in FIG. 41(A) depicts a recording medium ofthe present invention illustrating that the surface 542 thereof istextured, as represented by the substantial linear, parallel texturemarkings 544, during the fabrication process to provide linealantisotrophy of the magnetic domains.

In FIG. 42(A), the pictorial representation of an encodeable credit card550 is shown wherein the entire substrate or body 562 is fabricated of amagnetic recording material in an appropriate binder material and havingan appropriate protective coating 564 to form a data storage deviceusing the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 42(B) is a pictorial representation of an encodeable credit card564 wherein the substrate or body 568 forms the high density magneticrecording material and a protective coating 570 is formed thereon toform a data storage device for practicing this invention.

FIG. 43(A) is a pictorial representation of a credit card 572 having agroove 574 formed therein which is adapted to have a data storage devicehaving a separate substrate and a protective coating inserted therein.

FIG. 43(B) is a pictorial representation of a credit card 572 of FIG.43(A) having wherein the groove 574 formed therein encloses a datastorage device 576 wherein the data storage device may comprise arecording medium illustrated in FIGS. 38, 39, 40(A), 40(B), 40(C) and40(D). In addition, prior art recording medium having a protectivecoating as described in connection with FIG. 37 may also be used inpracticing this invention.

FIG. 44 is a pictorial representation of still yet another portable card580 utilizing the teachings of the present invention in the form of amagnetically encodeable credit card wherein the obverse side depicted byarrow 582 thereof may contain indicia providing banker/user informationor, alternatively, a standard magnetic stripe area as shown in FIGS. 19,20, 21, 26,27, 28 and 29. The converse side thereof 584 includes a datastorage device 586 located substantially centrally thereon and the datastorage device has a plurality of parallel spaced magnetic tracks forstoring at least five megabytes formatted of a magnetic data. The datastorage device 586 covers a predetermined area of the converse side 586so as to define a circumferential edge 588 around the periphery of theconverse side 584 to provide a transition area to enable a linearlytransported magnetic transducer, shown by dashed-lines 590, to bestepped onto selected magnetic tracks of the plurality of magnetictracks for reading and/or writing of magnetic signals within the datastorage device 580.

A drive member depicted by box 578 is operatively coupled to theportable card as illustrated by lead line 577 and to the transducer asillustrated by lead line 579. The drive member provides the relativemovement between the portable card and the transducer to position thedate storage device proximate the transducer 590 to enable theinteraction therebetween.

FIG. 45 is a plot depicting the magnitude of magnetic signals, e.g.signal amplitude, transduced by a magnetic transducer, e.g. transducer590 in FIG. 44, being transported linearly over a magnetic track plottedas a function of track length. The resulting tracking data is depictedby line 592 and has a ramp-up portion 594 corresponding to thecircumferential edge 588 around the periphery of the converse side 584as the transducer is transported towards the data storage device 586.When the transducer interacts with the data storage device the level ofthe magnetic signals are at maximum amplitude at the point where themagnetic transducer passes from the circumferential edge 588 around theperiphery of the converse side 584 defining a transition area locatedaround the periphery of the converse side 584 of the portable card 580.The magnetic signals remain at maximum amplitude until the magnetictransducer passes from the data storage device 586 back onto thecircumferential edge 588 around the periphery of the converse side 584and the signal ramps down as is depicted by that potion of the lineshown as 596.

The simplified schematic diagram of FIG. 46 discloses a card reader forreading and reproducing information a portable card utilizing theteachings of the present invention.

The simplified card reader schematic that illustrates that the portablecard is inserted into the card reader as depicted by box 600. The cardreader is programmed to be in a standby condition as depicted by box602. When the portable card is inserted into the card reader, the cardreader is activated as depicted by box 606. The card reader thenperforms a self-calibration step as depicted by box 610. The card readerthen determines if the format of the portable card is acceptable andthis step is depicted by box 612. The portable card and the dataprocessing station located within and forming part of the card readerare moved relative to each other to cause the passage of magneticsignals between the data storage device and a transducer located withinthe data processing station. The relative movement between the portablecard and the data processing station performs the required datatransactions as depicted by box 614. To the extent that in the datacorrections, recording of data, writing of data and the like, suchoperations are performed during such relative movement as describedabove and this step is depicted by box 616.

Upon completion of the data transaction 614 and data correction or othersimilar operations 616, a decision is made as to how the portable cardis to be further processed. To the extent that any additionaltransactions are required before the portable card is returned to theuser, the card reader completes such of the transactions as depicted bybox 618. The portable card is then transported to a removable locationfor removal by the user and this is depicted by box 620. Upon completionof the other transactions as depicted by box 618, the card reader isplaced into a standby mode in preparation for the next transaction.

If a decision is made that the data and/or card is damaged and thetransaction should be rejected and/or the card is retained, that processstep is depicted by box 622. Upon completion of the step depicted by box622, the card reader is placed into a standby mode in preparation forthe next transaction.

FIGS. 47 and 48 together are a detailed schematic diagram of theoperating steps or routine of a card reader for interacting with a datastorage device as disclosed herein.

The description commences with FIG. 47. The card reader is a read/writedevice which is connected and powered from a power source and/ortransmission device, and this is depicted by box 630.

The read/write device is in a standby mode until it is activated, andthis is depicted by box 632. A control signal depicted by arrow 634 istypically transmitted to the card reader to designate that the cardreader should change to or remain in the standby mode. A magneticallyencoded card is inserted into the card reader causing the card reader toenter into its operating mode, and this is depicted by box 634.

The read/write device verifies that the card is in place and performs aself test and alignment operation, depicted by box 638. If the step ofverification fails, the card is rejected, as depicted by circle 640. Ifthe verification step is successful, then the card is deemed to havepassed and the process then move into the read/write device beinginitialized as depicted by box 642.

The card reader then determines the operating mode as either a localmode, as depicted by lead 644, or a remote mode as depicted by lead 646.

The schematic diagram shown in FIG. 48 is referenced for the followingdiscussion. As shown in FIG. 48, the local mode 644 and the remote mode646 perform identical processing operations. The card readerauthenticates the card and/or the card is used as depicted by box 700.The application to be performed is selected as depicted by box 702. Thewrite and/or read transactions are initiated as depicted by box 704. Theread/write performs data verification as id depicted by box 706. If afail determination is made at the commencement of the processing, asdepicted by arrows 710, then a determination is made to either hold thecard, as depicted by box 714, or to return the card, as depicted by box716.

Upon completion of the local mode or remote sequence, a determination ismade that that transaction and/or data verification is valid. This isshown by rectangles 718 and 720, and the determination is pass or failas shown in FIG. 48. If the determination is pass, then an indication isprovided that the data compare is valid, as depicted by box 722, and theselected operation is performed, as depicted by box 724. Uponcompletion, the card is then transported to a location where the userremoves the same as depicted by box 728.

If the determination is fail, then another series of determinations areenabled. The fail determination from 718 is transmitted to a flag error730. Flag error 730 is enabled by the fail determination from 718, thefail determination from 640 and the fail determination from 720. Theflag error 730 either allows the card to be returned and removed by theuser, as depicted by box 728, or withhold the card as depicted by box734.

In addition, a flag error 736 is responsive to a hold card determination714, as described above, to withhold the card as depicted by box 734.

Upon a final determination to remove card, as depicted by box 728, or towithhold the card, as depicted by box 734, the read/write device thenenabled to go into the standby mode as depicted by box 740. Thisdetermination is transmitted to the read/write device standby mode asdepicted by box 632 in FIG. 47 by lead 634.

In the standby mode, the card reader is again actuated by the insertionof a portable card in the form of a magnetically encoded card asdepicted by box 636 as described hereinbefore. Upon insertion of theportable card, the processing then commences as described herein.

The processing steps described herein in FIGS. 47 and 48 for the cardreader is the preferred embodiment. It is envisioned that certain of theprocess steps can be eliminated or modified or that other process stepscan be added, all of which are within the teachings of the presentinvention.

As discussed hereinbefore, it is anticipated that the protective coatingcould be subject to the collection of debris, finger prints or the likefrom normal handling by a user in an ambient and normal environment, asdifferentiated from a protected environment required for hard disk drivedevices.

Therefore, the accuracy and reliability of reproducing (reading) encodeddata from the portable card by a card reading apparatus and/or bymethods for processing the portable card can be improved or enhanced byuse of a card cleaner and process for cleaning a portable card prior tothe card reader processing the portable card.

FIG. 49 is a simplified schematic diagram of a card cleaner for cleaningdebris, fingerprints and the like from a portable card utilizing theteachings of the present invention. The cleaning process is commencedwhen a card is inserted into the card reader as depicted by box 750.Upon insertion of the card, the card is prewiped as depicted by box 752.

Thereafter, a mild, but effective, abrasive cleaning processingprocedure is performed on the portable card to effectively removedebris, fingerprints and the like therefrom as depicted by box 754. Afinal wipe procedure is performed as depicted by box 756. The cleanedand wiped portable card is then exited as depicted by box 760. Theportable card is then transported directly to the input section of thecard reader as an inserted card as shown by box 636 in FIG. 47. Theschematic diagram of FIG. 49 is the preferred embodiment of a cleaningprocess that is preformed prior to processing by a card reader forreading and reproducing information from the portable card, but allvariations thereof are envisioned to be with the teachings of thepresent invention.

FIGS. 50 and 51 disclose one embodiment of a card cleaner 780 having acard feeder 782 for transporting a card 786 past an abrasive cleaningstation 788 for carrying out carrying out the card cleaning process. InFIG. 50, the abrasive apparatus utilize a strip abrasive material 790which is supplied from supply reel 794, driven by drive member 796. Thestrip abrasive material 790 is brought into cleaning engagement with thecard 786 by rollers 800 to mildly wipe and abrade the card protectivecoating as described herein. The expended or used strip abrasivematerial is past over a drive member 804 and onto a take up reel 806. Acover 808 located proximate the rollers 800 can be lifted to clean theroller 800.

FIG. 51 illustrate that drive motors 810 and 812 are used to drive thesupply reel 794 and the take up reel 806, respectively.

FIG. 52 is a pictorial representation of an alternate structure of acard feeder and cleaner for rollers 800 illustrated in FIG. 50. In FIG.52, the card feeder 782 includes an endless belt 820 to replace theroller 800 in FIG. 50. The cover 808 located proximate the endless belt808 can be lifted to clean the endless belt 808.

In FIGS. 53 and 54, a portable card 820 includes a substrate 822 toenclosed a data storage device 826 in the form of a disk 830 rigidlyaffixed to the substrate 822. In this embodiment, the entire portablecard 820 including the substrate and disk 830 is rotated relative to amagnetic transducer shown by dashed lines 830 to pass magnetic signalstherebetween. In the preferred embodiment, the data storage device 826is formed utilizing the teaching of the present invention.

FIGS. 55 and 56 are pictorial representations of still yet anotherembodiment of a portable card 840 utilizing the teachings of the presentinvention. A substrate 842 enclosed a data storage device 844 in theform of a disk 846 rotatably mounted within or supported within thesubstrate 842. The disk 846 is rotated within the substrate 842 relativeto a magnetic transducer shown by dashed lines 850.

Based on the above disclosure, a card and card reader system isdisclosed. The card and card reader comprises an encodeable cardcomprising a body having upper and lower surfaces and side and end edgesand wherein the body includes on at least one of the upper and lowersurfaces a data storage section adapted to interact with a dataprocessing station when the card and the data processing station aremoved relative to each other to at least one of encoded signals in thedata storage section and read encoded signals from the data storagesection. The data storage section includes at least one thin film layerof high density storage material for storing data and a protectivecoating formed on the thin film layer which is selected to have athickness to facilitate passage of encoded and encoding signals in anambient natural atmospheric operating environment through the protectivecoating and the thin film layer and the protective coating formed of amaterial which resists at least one of chemical, magnetic and mechanicaldegradation of the data storage device.

The card reader has a transducer for at least one of encoding signals inthe data storage section and reading encoded signals from the datastorage section during relative movement of the card relative to thedata processing station to enable data flow between the data storagesection and the transducer.

In the preferred embodiment, the encodeable card is a magneticallyencodeable card and the data storage section has at least one thin filmlayer of high density, high coercivity magnetic material having apredetermined magnetic field orientation for storing data. Thetransducer may be a thin film head, a magnetoresistive head or a giantmagnetoresistive (GMR) head.

The encodeable card may optionally be an optically encodeable card andwherein the data storage section has at least one thin film layer ofhigh density, optical recording material which is capable of reading andstoring data in optical form. The transducer may be a laser adapted toreading and record optical data on said optical recording material.

It is envisioned that the card and card reader system may comprise, inthe preferred embodiment, a magnetically encodeable card comprising abody having upper and lower surfaces and side and end edges wherein thebody includes on at least one of the upper and lower surfaces a datastorage section adapted to interact with a data processing station whenthe card and the data processing station are moved relative to eachother. The data storage member may include at least one thin film layerof high density, high coercivity magnetic material having apredetermined magnetic field orientation for storing data.

A protective coating is formed on the at least one thin film layer ofhigh density, high coercivity magnetic material and is selected to havea thickness to facilitate passage of magnetic signals in an ambientnatural atmospheric operating environment through the protective coatingand the thin film layer. The protective coating may be formed of amaterial which resists at least one of chemical, magnetic and mechanicaldegradation of the data storage device. The protective coating isadapted to interface with and be responsive to a data processing stationwhen the substrate and data processing stations are moved relative toeach other to enable data flow therebetween.

The reader has a transducer for reading the magnetically encoded storagesection during relative movement of the card relative to the dataprocessing station to enable data flow between the data storage sectionand the transducer. The transducer is capable of at least one ofencoding magnetic signals in said data storage section and readingencoded magnetic signals from said data storage section during relativemovement of the card relative to the data processing station to enabledata flow between the data storage section and the transducer.

The at least one thin film layer of high density, high coercivitymagnetic material may be a sputtered layer or a platted layer. Thetransducer may be a thin film magnetic head, a magnetoresistive head ora giant magnetoresistive (GMR) head.

The magnetoresistive head may include a dual stripe magnetoresistiveelement. In addition, the magnetoresistive head may include a magneticflux guide for conducting magnetic flux from the data storage section ofthe card read by said reader to the magnetoresistive head.

The data storage section may include data tracks having a predeterminedwidth formed on a selected surface of the card and the predeterminedwidth may be wider than said magnetoresistive head or have apredetermined width in the range of about “1” times to about “2” timeswider than the magnetoresistive head.

A method for reading a card with a card reader is disclosed. The methodcomprises the steps of (a) forming on a substrate of a card a datastorage section adapted to interact with a data processing station whenthe card and the data processing station are moved relative to eachother to at least one of encode signals in the data storage section andread encoded signals from the data storage section; (b) forming arelatively hard, abradeable protective coating on said data storageSection having a thickness between a maximum thickness which wouldmaterially attenuate encoding and encoded signals passing between saiddata storage section and a transducer and a minimum thickness enablingsaid protective coating to be abraded by usage in an ambient naturalatmosphere operating environment for removing therefrom a known quantityof the protective coating; and (c) moving the card and data processingstation relative to each other to interface the data storage sectionrelative to a transducer to enable data flow therebetween.

The step of forming may include forming a data storage section having atleast one thin film layer of high density, high coercivity magneticmaterial having a predetermined magnetic field orientation for storingdata.

The step of moving may include using a transducer which is a thin filmhead, a magnetoresistive head or a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) head.

The step of forming may include forming a data storage section having atleast one thin film layer of high density, optical recording materialwhich is capable of reading and storing data in optical form. The stepof moving; may include using a transducer which is a laser adapted toreading and record optical data on the optical recording material. Inthe preferred embodiment, a method for reading a. card with a cardreader may comprise the steps of: (a) forming on a substrate of a card adata storage section including a thin film of magnetic material having apredetermined magnetic orientation for storing data in a predeterminedaxis; (b) providing a protective coating including a magneticallypermeable, magnetically saturable material which is disposed on anexchange break layer and responsive through the exchange break layer tothe coercive material axes of magnetization to produce a magnetic imagefield in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction, theprotection coating being formed of a material which resists at least oneof chemical, magnetic and controllable mechanical degradation of themagnetic recording medium; and (c) moving the card and data processingstation relative to each other to interface the data storage sectionrelative to a transducer to enable data flow therebetween.

Also disclosed is a data storage device comprising a substrate having atleast one surface. At least one high density magnetically coercivematerial layer is disposed on the substrate for storing magnetic signalswith the coercive material axis of magnetization oriented in apredetermined direction relative to the at least one surface of thesubstrate. At least one non-magnetic material layer is disposed on thesubstrate for defining an exchange break layer. A protective coating isformed on the substrate and is selected to have a depth in a directionsubstantially normal to said exchange break layer to facilitate passageof magnetic signals in an ambient natural atmospheric operatingenvironment through the exchange break layer and the coercive materialhaving the axis of magnetization in the predetermined direction. Theprotective layer is formed of a material which resists at least one ofchemical, magnetic and mechanical degradation of the data storagedevice. The substrate is preferably a non-magnetic substrate and theprotective coating includes a magnetically permeable, magneticallysaturable storage material disposed on the substrate and which isresponsive through the exchange break layer to the coercive materialaxis of magnetization in the predetermined direction to produce amagnetic image field in a direction opposite to the predetermineddirection.

The protective coating may include the magnetically permeable,magnetically saturable storage material as a separate independent layerdisposed on the exchange break layer. Optionally, the protective coatingmay include a non-magnetic abrasion-resisting layer as a separateindependent layer disposed on the magnetically permeable, magneticallysaturable storage material layer.

The at least one high density magnetically coercive material layer isdisposed on the substrate for storing magnetic signals with the coercivematerial axis of magnetization oriented in a predetermined directionrelative to the at least one surface of the substrate, and thepredetermined direction may be: (i) orientated substantially parallel tosaid at least one surface of said substrate; (ii) orientated at an acuteangle to said at least one surface of the substrate; (iii) orientatedsubstantially perpendicular to the at least one surface of thesubstrate.

Also disclosed herein is a magnetically encodeable card comprising anon-magnetic substrate having at least one surface having a thin film,high density magnetically coercive material disposed on the substratefor storing magnetic signals with the coercive material axis ofmagnetization oriented in a predetermined direction relative to the atleast on surface of said substrate. A non-magnetic material is disposedon the substrate for defining an exchange break layer.

A protective coating is formed on the substrate in a directionsubstantially normal to the exchange break layer and the protectivecoating includes a magnetically permeable, magnetically saturablestorage material disposed on the substrate and which is responsivethrough the exchange break layer and the magnetically saturable storagematerial to the coercive material axis of magnetization to produce amagnetic image field in a direction to facilitate passage of magneticsignals in an ambient natural atmospheric operating environment throughthe exchange break layer and the magnetically saturable storagematerial. The protective coating is formed of a material which resistsat least one of chemical, magnetic and mechanical degradation of thedata storage device.

Alternatively, the protective coating may include the magneticallypermeable, magnetically saturable storage material being an independentlayer disposed on the substrate. In addition, the protective coating mayinclude a non-magnetic abrasion resisting material as a separate layerdisposed on the magnetically permeable, magnetically saturable storagematerial.

In the magnetically encodeable card, the at least one high densitymagnetically coercive material layer is disposed on the substrate forstoring magnetic signals with the coercive material axis ofmagnetization oriented in a predetermined direction relative to the atleast one surface of the substrate, and the predetermined direction maybe: (i) orientated substantially parallel to said at least one surfaceof said substrate; (ii) orientated at an acute angle to said at leastone surface of the substrate; (iii) orientated substantiallyperpendicular to the at least one surface of the substrate.

The magnetically coercive material has a coercivity, in the preferredembodiment, of at least 1,000 Oersteds and the magnetically permeable,magnetically saturable storage material has a coercivity of less thanabout 100 Oersteds.

A magnetic signal processing apparatus is disclosed comprising amagnetic recording medium having a high density magnetically coercivematerial for storing magnetic signals with the coercive material axes ofmagnetization oriented in a predetermined direction; a non-magneticmaterial disposed on the high density magnetically coercive material fordefining a exchange break layer and a protective coating which includesa magnetically permeable, magnetically saturable material which isdisposed on the exchange break layer and which is responsive through theexchange break layer to the coercive material axes of magnetization toproduce a magnetic image field in a direction opposite to thepredetermined direction. The protective coating is formed of a materialwhich resists at least one of chemical, magnetic and mechanicaldegradation of the magnetic recording medium.

The apparatus includes a magnetic transducer positioned relative to asurface of the recording medium for transferring signals with respect tothe recording medium. A drive member is operatively coupled to at leastone of the transducer and the recording medium to provide relativemovement therebetween. A magnetic control device having a bias fieldadapted to increase, through the protective coating and the exchangebreak layer, the reluctance of the magnetic saturable, magneticallypermeable material to enable a magnetic signal to pass between the highdensity magnetically coercive material through the exchange break layerand the protective coating to the magnetic transducer.

A method of processing magnetic signals using a magnetic recordingmedium having a high density magnetically coercive material for storingmagnetic signals with the coercive material axes of magnetizationoriented in a predetermined direction is disclosed. The method comprisesthe steps of: (a) providing a layer of a non-magnetic material disposedon said high density magnetically coercive material for defining aexchange break layer; (b) providing a protective coating including amagnetically permeable, magnetically saturable material which isdisposed on the exchange break layer and responsive through the exchangebreak layer to the coercive material axes of magnetization to produce amagnetic image field in a direction opposite to the predetermineddirection. The protective coating is formed of a material which resistsat least one of chemical, magnetic and mechanical degradation of themagnetic recording medium; and (c) generating with a magnetic controldevice having a bias field adapted to increase through the protectivecoating and the exchange break layer the reluctance of the magneticsaturable, magnetically permeable material to enable the magnetic signalto pass between the high density magnetically coercive material throughthe exchange break layer and the protective coating to a magnetictransducer.

A system is disclosed which comprises a magnetic recording medium havinga high density magnetically coercive material for storing magneticsignals with the coercive material axes of magnetization oriented in apredetermined direction. A non-magnetic material is disposed on the highdensity magnetically coercive material for defining an exchange breaklayer. A protective coating including a magnetically permeable,magnetically saturable material disposed on the exchange break layer andwhich is responsive through the exchange break layer to the coercivematerial axes of magnetization to produce a magnetic image field in adirection opposite to the predetermined direction. The protectivecoating is formed of a material which resists at least one of chemical,magnetic and mechanical degradation of the magnetic recording medium.

A magnetic transducer is positioned relative to a surface of therecording medium for transferring signals with respect to the recordingmedium. A drive member is operatively coupled to at least one of thetransducer and the recording medium to provide relative movementtherebetween.

A magnetic control device having a bias field adapted to increasethrough the protective coating and the exchange break layer thereluctance of the magnetic saturable, magnetically permeable material toenable the magnetic signal to pass between the high density magneticallycoercive material through the exchange break layer and the protectivecoating to the magnetic transducer.

A programmable control device operatively connected to the magneticcontrol device is used to cause the bias field to be applied to therecording medium when a selected magnetic image is located substantiallyadjacent the transducer.

The protective coating may have at least one layer which includes amagnetically permeable, magnetically saturable storage material.Alternatively, the protective coating may have at least two layerswherein one of the layers includes a magnetically permeable,magnetically saturable storage material and the other of the layers is anon-magnetic abrasion resisting layer formed on the one of the layers.

The data storage device may further include a non-magnetic materiallayer positioned between the protective coating and the at least onethin film layer. The magnetically permeable, magnetically saturablestorage material is responsive through the non-magnetic layer to thecoercive material axis of magnetization in the predetermine direction toproduce a magnetic image field in a direction opposite to thepredetermined direction.

Alternatively, the protective coating may have at least two layerswherein one of the layers includes a magnetically permeable,magnetically saturable storage material and the other of the layers is anon-magnetic abrasion resisting layer formed on the one of the layers.

In such a device, the data storage device may further includes anon-magnetic material layer positioned between the one of the layers ofthe protective coating and the at least one thin film layer and whereinthe magnetically permeable, magnetically saturable storage material isresponsive through the non-magnetic layer to the coercive material axisof magnetization in the predetermine direction to produce a magneticimage field in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction.

The portable card utilizing the teachings of the present invention haswide and multiple applications and is essentially a multi-use portablecard having a data storage device. As such, the data storage device inthe form of a portable card can be utilized for either or both, eithersolely or jointly, as a financial or credit card, and/or fornon-financial data storage and/or any other transaction type cardrequiring the storing of magnetic signals.

For magnetically encodeable cards, portable cards or other cards or thelike employing the teaching of the present invention for use withmagnetics, the present invention may be practiced with a wide variety ofhorizontal or vertical recording materials, soft magnetic materials,non-magnetic materials and substrates. In addition, conventionaldeposition, sputtering, plating, oxidating and web coating methods maybe employed to prepare the recording medium or data storage section, ora data storage section combined with a substrate to from a data storagedevice, or data storage device. Media used for hard disks, floppy disksand recording mediums when used with the protective coating of thepresent invention may be used for practicing this invention. Further,the above-described advantages may be achieved by the addition of arelatively hard, bendable protective coating to the data storage devicethat can yield with movement of the card and wherein it is anticipatedthat a predetermined quantity of the protective coating will be abradedtherefrom during normal use in an ambient normal atmospheric operatingor usage environment.

The storage material which can be used for practicing this inventioninclude, without limitation: (i) magnetic material; optical recordingmaterial; and (iii) magneto-optical material. Such materials are wellknown to persons skilled-in-the art, and they need not be discussed indetail herein.

All such variations and incorporating of the teachings of the presentinvention are envisioned to be covered by and anticipated by theteachings set forth herein.

1. A card and card writer/reader system comprising: an encodeable cardhaving a body having upper and lower surfaces and side and end edges,said body including on at least one of said upper and lower surfaces adata storage section adapted to interact with a data processing stationwhen said card and said data processing station are moved relative toeach other to at least one of write encoding signals in said datastorage section and read encoded signals from said data storage section,said data storage section including at least one layer of high densitystorage material for storing data; a diamond-like hardness, abradeableprotective coating formed on said at least one high density storagematerial layer and being selected to have a thickness between a maximumthickness which would materially attenuate encoding and encoded signalspassing between said storage material layer and a transducer and aminimum thickness enabling said protective coating to be abraded byusage in an ambient natural atmosphere operating environment forremoving therefrom a known quantity of the protective coating; and awriter/reader having a transducer for at least one of writing encodingsignals in said data storage section and reading encoded signals fromsaid data storage section during relative movement of said card relativeto the data processing station to enable data flow between said datastorage section and said transducer.
 2. The card and card writer/readersystem of claim 1 wherein said an encodeable card is a magneticallyencodeable card and wherein said data storage section has at least onethin film layer of high density, high coercivity magnetic materialhaving a predetermined magnetic field orientation for storing data. 3.The card and card reader system of claim 2 wherein said transducer is aninductive head.
 4. The card and card reader system of claim 2 whereinsaid transducer is a thin film head.
 5. The card and card reader systemof claim 2 wherein said transducer is a magnetoresistive head.
 6. Thecard and card reader system of claim 2 wherein said transducer is agiant magnetoresistive (GMR) head.
 7. The card and card reader system ofclaim 1 wherein said encodeable card is an optically encodeable card andwherein said data storage section has at least one layer of highdensity, optical recording material which is capable of reading andstoring data in optical form.
 8. The card and card reader system ofclaim 1 wherein said transducer is a laser adapted to reading and recordoptical data on said optical recording material.
 9. The card and cardreader system of claim 1 wherein said encodeable card is amagneto-optical encodeable card and wherein said data storage sectionhas at least one layer of high density, magneto-optical recordingmaterial which is capable of reading and storing data.
 10. A card andcard writer/reader system comprising: a magnetically encodeable cardhaving a body having upper and lower surfaces and side and end edges,said body including on at least one of said upper and lower surfaces adata storage device adapted to interact with a data processing stationwhen said card and said data processing station are moved relative toeach other, said data storage device including at least one thin filmlayer of high density, high coercivity magnetic material having apredetermined magnetic field orientation for storing data; adiamond-like hardness, abradeable protective coating formed on said thinfilm magnetic material layer and being selected to have a thicknessbetween a maximum thickness which would materially attenuate magneticsignals passing between said magnetic material layer and a transducerand a minimum thickness enabling said protective coating to be abradedby usage in an ambient natural atmosphere operating environment forremoving therefrom a known quantity of the protective coating; a firsttransducer for reading said magnetically encoded signals from said datastorage device during relative movement of said card relative to thedata processing station to enable data flow between said data storagedevice and said transducer; and a second transducer for writingmagnetically encoding signals in said data storage device asmagnetically encoded signals during relative movement of said cardrelative to the data processing station to enable data flow between saiddata storage device and said transducer.
 11. The card and cardwriter/reader system of claim 10 wherein said transducer is an inductivehead.
 12. The card and card writer/reader system of claim 10 whereinsaid transducer is a thin film magnetic head.
 13. The card and cardwriter/reader system of claim 10 wherein said transducer is amagnetoresistive head.
 14. The card and card writer/reader system ofclaim 10 wherein said transducer is a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) head.15. The card and card writer/reader system of claim 13 wherein saidmagnetoresistive head includes a dual stripe magnetoresistive element.16. The card and card writer/reader system of claim 13 wherein saidmagnetoresistive head includes a magnetic flux guide for conductingmagnetic flux from said data storage section of said card read by saidreader to said magnetoresistive head.
 17. The card and cardwriter/reader system of claim 13 wherein said data storage deviceincludes data tracks having a predetermined width formed on a selectedsurface of said card and wherein said predetermined width is wider thansaid magnetoresistive head.
 18. The card and card writer/reader systemof claim 13 wherein said data storage device includes data tracks havinga predetermined width formed on a selected surface of said card whereinsaid predetermined width is in the range of about “1” times to about “2”times wider than said magnetoresistive head.
 19. A method for reading acard with a card reader comprising the steps of: forming on a substrateof a card a data storage section adapted to interact with a dataprocessing station when said card and said data processing station aremoved relative to each other to at least one of write encoding signalsin said data storage section as encoded signals and read encoded signalsfrom said data storage section; forming a relatively hard, abradeableprotective coating on said data storage section wherein said protectivecoating has a thickness between a maximum thickness which wouldmaterially attenuate encoding and encoded signals passing between saiddata storage section and a transducer and a minimum thickness enablingsaid protective coating to be abraded by usage in an ambient naturalatmosphere operating environment for removing therefrom a known quantityof the protective coating; and moving said card and data processingstation relative to each other to interface said data storage sectionrelative to a transducer to enable data flow therebetween.
 20. Themethod of claim 19 wherein the step of forming includes forming a datastorage device having at least one thin film layer of high density, highcoercivity magnetic material having a predetermined magnetic fieldorientation for storing data.
 21. The method of claim 20 wherein saidstep of moving includes using a transducer that is an inductive head.22. The method of claim 20 wherein said step of moving includes using atransducer that is a thin film head.
 23. The method of claim 20 whereinsaid step of moving includes using a transducer that is amagnetoresistive head.
 24. The method of claim 20 wherein said step ofmoving includes using a transducer that is a giant magnetoresistive(GMR) head.
 25. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of formingincludes forming a data storage section having at least one thin filmlayer of high density, optical recording material which is capable ofreading and storing data in optical form.
 26. The method of claim 19wherein the step of forming includes forming a data storage sectionhaving at least one thin film layer of high density, magneto-opticalrecording material which is capable of reading and storing data inmagneto-optical form.
 27. The method of claim 19 wherein the step ofmoving includes using a transducer which is a laser adapted to read andrecord optical data on said optical recording material.
 28. A method forreading a card with a card reader comprising the steps of forming on asubstrate of a card a data storage section including a thin film ofmagnetic material having a predetermined magnetic orientation forstoring data in a predetermined axis; forming on said data storagesection a bendable, diamond like hardness protective coating having athickness which allows passage of magnetic signals in an ambient naturalatmospheric operating environment through said protective layer and saidthin film layer, said protective layer being formed of a material whichresists at least one of chemical, magnetic and mechanical degradation ofthe data storage device; and moving said card and data processingstation relative to each other to interface said data storage sectionrelative to a transducer to enable data flow therebetween.
 29. Amagnetic signal processing apparatus comprising: a magnetic recordingmedium having a high density magnetically coercive material for storingmagnetic signals with the coercive material axes of magnetizationoriented in a predetermined direction: a non-magnetic material disposedon said high density magnetically coercive material for defining aexchange break layer; a bendable, relative hard, protective coatingincluding a magnetically permeable, magnetically saturable materialdisposed on said exchange break layer and being responsive through saidexchange break layer to the coercive material axes of magnetization toproduce a magnetic image field in a direction opposite to saidpredetermined direction, said protective coating being selected to havea thickness between a maximum thickness which would materially attenuatemagnetic signals passing between said magnetic material layer and atransducer and a minimum thickness enabling said protective coating tobe abraded by usage in an ambient natural atmosphere operatingenvironment for removing therefrom a known quantity of the protectivecoating; a magnetic transducer positioned relative to a surface of saidrecording medium for transferring signals with respect to the recordingmedium; a drive member operatively coupled to at least one of saidtransducer and said recording medium to provide relative movementtherebetween; and a magnetic control device having a bias field adaptedto increase through said protective coating the reluctance of saidmagnetic saturable, magnetically permeable material to enable a magneticsignal to pass between said high density magnetically coercive materialthrough said exchange break layer and said protective coating to saidmagnetic transducer.
 30. In a method of processing magnetic signalsusing a magnetic recording medium having a high density magneticallycoercive material for storing magnetic signals with the coercivematerial axes of magnetization oriented in a predetermined directioncomprising the steps of: providing a layer of a non-magnetic materialdisposed on said high density magnetically coercive material fordefining a exchange break layer; providing a protective coatingincluding a magnetically permeable, magnetically saturable materialwhich is disposed on said exchange break layer and responsive throughsaid exchange break layer to the coercive material axes of magnetizationto produce a magnetic image field in a direction opposite to saidpredetermined direction, said protection coating being formed of amaterial which resists at least one of chemical, magnetic and mechanicaldegradation of the magnetic recording medium; and generating with amagnetic control device having a bias field adapted to increase throughsaid protective coating and said exchange break layer the reluctance ofsaid magnetic saturable, magnetically permeable material to enable themagnetic signal to pass between said high density magnetically coercivematerial through said exchange break layer and said protective coatingto a magnetic transducer.
 31. A system comprising: a magnetic recordingmedium having a high density magnetically coercive material for storingmagnetic signals with the coercive material axes of magnetizationoriented in a predetermined direction; a non-magnetic material disposedon said high density magnetically coercive material for defining aexchange break layer; a relatively hard, abradeable protective coatingformed on said magnetic material layer and being selected to have athickness between a maximum thickness which would materially attenuatemagnetic signals passing between said a high density magneticallycoercive material and a transducer and a minimum thickness enabling saidprotective coating to be abraded by usage in an ambient naturalatmosphere operating environment for removing therefrom a known quantityof the protective coating; a magnetic transducer positioned relative toa surface of said recording medium for transferring signals with respectto the recording medium; a drive member operatively coupled to at leastone of said transducer and said recording medium to provide relativemovement therebetween; a magnetic control device having a bias fieldadapted to increase through said protective coating the reluctance ofsaid magnetic saturable, magnetically permeable material to enable themagnetic signal to pass between said high density magnetically coercivematerial through said exchange break layer and said protective coatingto said magnetic transducer; and a programmable control deviceoperatively connected to said magnetic control device to cause said biasfield to be applied to said recording medium when a selected magneticimage is located substantially adjacent said transducer.
 32. The systemof claim 31 wherein said protective coating has at least one layer whichincludes a magnetically permeable, magnetically saturable material. 33.The system of claim 31 wherein said protective coating has at least twolayers wherein one of said layers includes a magnetically permeable,magnetically saturable material and the other of said layers is anon-magnetic abrasion resisting layer formed on said one of said layers.34. The system of claim 31 wherein said protective coating has at leastone layer which includes a magnetically permeable, magneticallysaturable material and wherein said data storage device furtherincludes: a non-magnetic material layer positioned between theprotective coating and said high density magnetically coercive material,said magnetically permeable, magnetically saturable material beingresponsive through said non-magnetic layer to the coercive material axisof magnetization in said predetermine direction to produce a magneticimage field in a direction opposite to said predetermined direction. 35.The system of claim 31 wherein said protective coating has at least twolayers wherein said one of said layers includes a magneticallypermeable, magnetically saturable material and the other of said layersis a non-magnetic abrasion resisting layer formed on said one of saidlayers and wherein said data storage device further includes anon-magnetic material layer positioned between the one of said layers ofthe protective coating and said high density magnetically coercivematerial, said magnetically permeable, magnetically saturable materialbeing responsive through said non-magnetic layer to the coercivematerial axis of magnetization in said predetermine direction to producea magnetic image field in a direction opposite to said predetermineddirection.